Top 5 Best Book Covers: November 2015

Top 5 Best Book Covers is monthly meme created by The Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. The rules are simple: on the first Saturday of every month, post your 5 favorite books covers that are being released in the current month!

#1
WINTER
Book Series:  The Lunar Chronicles, Book #4
Author: Marissa Meyer (Twitter)
Genre(s): YA, Fairytale Retold, Dystopian
Release Date: November 10, 2015

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

 

 

Top 5 Best Book Covers: August 2015

Top 5 Best Book Covers is monthly meme created by The Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. The rules are simple: on the first Saturday of every month, post your 5 favorite books covers that are being released in the current month!

#1
MECHANICA
Author: Tera Lynn Childs (Twitter)
Genre(s): YA, Steampunk, Fairytale Retold
Release Date: August 4, 2015

Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her own home.

But on her sixteenth birthday, Nicolette discovers a secret workshop in the cellar and begins to dare to imagine a new life for herself. Could the mysterious books and tools hidden there—and the mechanical menagerie, led by a tiny metal horse named Jules—be the key to escaping her dreary existence? With a technological exposition and royal ball on the horizon, the timing might just be perfect for Nicolette to earn her freedom at last.

Gorgeous prose and themes of social justice and family shine in this richly imagined Cinderella retelling about an indomitable inventor who finds her prince . . . but realizes she doesn't want a fairy tale happy ending after all.

 

 

Top 5 Best Book Covers: July 2015

Top 5 Best Book Covers is monthly meme created by The Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. The rules are simple: on the first Saturday of every month, post your 5 favorite books covers that are being released in the current month!

#1
SERAFINA AND THE BLACK CLOAK
Author:  Robert Beatty (Twitter)
Genre(s):  Middle Grade, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Release Date:  July 14, 2015

A spooky mystery-thriller about an unusual girl who lives secretly in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate.
"Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there and they will ensnare your soul."

Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of Biltmore Estate. There's plenty to explore in the shadowed corridors of her vast home, but she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate's maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember.

But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore's corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of Biltmore's owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak's true identity before all of the children vanish one by one.

Serafina's hunt leads her into the very forest that she has been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic that is bound to her own identity. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek the answers that will unlock the puzzle of her past.

 

 

It’s Monday What Are You Reading?: 04/13/15

Hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey

This meme shares what we read this past week and what our plans are for the upcoming week. It’s a great way to see what others are reading and add to your own To Be Read list.

This week wasn't too bad. I didn't blog much to get some reading done. I'm halfway through the majority of these books, so that''s good. Soon, I'll switch to one audiobook, one physical. At least, that's the plan.

• Cover Characteristic: Numbers
• It’s Monday What Are You Reading?: 04/06/15
• Making Up for Monday: Read Anything...
• Nearly Found (Nearly Gone #2) by Elle Cosimano

It’s Monday What Are You Reading?: 04/06/15

Hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey

This meme shares what we read this past week and what our plans are for the upcoming week. It’s a great way to see what others are reading and add to your own To Be Read list.

Last week wasn't so great for progress. 

Work kicked my butt, so I didn't get much complete, save for finishing A Shade of Vampire which wasn't even in the queue. But the audiobook was teensy, so...

• Cover Characteristic: Pink Covers
• 2015 Audiobook Challenge - 1st Quarter Update
• It’s Monday What Are You Reading?: 03/30/15
• Making Up for Monday: Authors I Refuse to Read
• "Waiting On" Wednesday: Conviction by Kelly Loy Gilbert
• Quickie Review: A Shade of Vampire (A Shade of Vampire #1) by Bella Forrest
• Top 5 Best Book Covers: April 2015

Making Up for Monday: Read Anything...

Hosted by An Avid Reader; A Wannabe Writer

Each week, there will be a book-related theme or game, or something fun to do that week. And you can play along! All you have to do is find the question for that week and write a post that day based on that question.

This Week's Topic/Question:

Do you have an author you will read anything they put out? 

My Answer:

I do. In fact, I have five! My favorite authors are Jim Butcher, Nalini Singh, Lorelei James, Molly and Richelle Mead. I've read (most of) at least one series for each. I've been incredibly lucky to have met all but Lorelei and they're all lovely people. I'll be happy to continue supporting their careers!

JIM BUTCHER
The Dresden Files series (Urban Fantasy)

I got introduced to Jim's books through The Dresden Files audiobooks, as they're narrated by Jim Marsters. As a former Buffy fan, how could I not listen to a series narrated by Spike?!?! It's become my favorite series and I'm all caught up (18 books so far).

Codex Alera series (High Fantasy)

I own all of the Codex Alera series, though haven't started it yet. I plan to start it this year.

The Cinder Spires series (Steampunk)
I'm so excited for The Cinder Spires (released this fall), as it will be my first Steampunk novel. Who better to introduce me to the genre!

Cover Characteristic: Houses

Hosted by Sugar & Snark

Each week we will post a characteristic and choose 5 of our favorite cover’s with that characteristic. 

Cover Characteristic: Pretty Fonts

Hosted by Sugar & Snark

Each week we will post a characteristic and choose 5 of our favorite cover’s with that characteristic. 

Cover Characteristic: The End (Last Books In a Series)

Hosted by Sugar & Snark

Each week we will post a characteristic and choose 5 of our favorite cover’s with that characteristic. 

Cover Characteristic: Suspended in Air

Hosted by Sugar & Snark

Each week we will post a characteristic and choose 5 of our favorite cover’s with that characteristic. 

Cover Characteristic: Reapers / Grim Reaper

Each week we will post a characteristic and choose 5 of our favorite cover’s with that characteristic. If you want to join in and share your 5 favorite covers with the weeks particular characteristic, then just make a post, grab the meme picture (or make your own) and leave your URL here or over at Sugar & Snark.

My Picks This Week:

Cover Characteristic – Ethnic Characters

Each week we will post a characteristic and choose 5 of our favorite cover’s with that characteristic. If you want to join in and share your 5 favorite covers with the weeks particular characteristic, then just make a post, grab the meme picture (or make your own) and leave your URL here or over at Sugar & Snark.

My Picks This Week:

5. Minion (Vampire Huntress Legend #1) by L.A. Banks
3. Night Broken (Mercy Thompson #8) by Patricia Briggs
2. Scar (Pack Rulez #1) by Kassanna
1. Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst


My Favorite Pick:

Book Title: The Rivers of Zadaa

Authors: DJ MacHale

Book Series: Pendragon, Book 6

Genres: YA, Fantasy, Time Travel

Release Date: July 10, 2005

The battle continues. The struggle of good versus evil continues as Bobby Pendragon follows Saint Dane to the territory of Zadaa. Saint Dane's influence has fueled the fire of discontent between two warring tribes: the Rokador and the Batu. This is also the territory where the Traveler Loor lives as a member of the Batu. Together she and Bobby must work to thwart Saint Dane's efforts to destroy Zadaa.

But as Bobby pursues Saint Dane, he begins to notice changes in himself. He is no longer a flip kid looking for excitement. He is a young man beginning to see this quest as more than a series of adventures. He is also learning that as a Traveler, he has powers no normal human should have.

In this latest installment of Bobby Pendragon's battle to save humanity, discovery and danger go hand in hand as D. J. MacHale takes readers on an emotional thrill ride they won't soon forget..

It's not the most dynamic cover of the bunch, but I had to pick The Rivers of Zadaa as my favorite. The Pendragon series was one of the first YA series that really loved since ... (ahem, ahem Babysitters Club and Goosebumps - don't judge me). Interesting little tidbit is that the author, D.J. McHale, was also a co-creator of one of my favorite T.V. shows in my younger years, Are You Afraid of the Dark!

But, about the book. Loor is such a badass character and definitely my favorite Traveler besides Bobby himself. For me, this book also set the tone for the rest of the series and was a great read. Check out this series. It's a great one... Hobey-Ho!

Book Review: Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book Series: Lux, Book #0.5
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genres: YA, Paranormal Romance, Aliens
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Justine Eyre
Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins

My Ranking:

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane.

Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.

Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

(Quick comment - I read this after Obsidian) What a nice surprise. This was a much needed departure from the "all sarcasm, all the time" relationship with Daemon and Katy. And it was also good to see a Lux loving their life, because I felt so bad for Daemon and Dee in the first book. This world sucks for the Lux (unintentional rhyming, I swear).

Moving along, I think that Dawson and Bethany had a great relationship. Their story felt more sweet than intense in comparison to Daemon and Katy. Though, I think that might have more to do with Daemon's personality. Speaking of that, I think that Daemon got handed the shortest stick in the Black family. With Dawson and Dee letting their heart and personal desires drive them, it doesn't leave much room for Daemon to be his own person. He's had to be responsible for everyone and has probably made a lot more sacrifices then either of his siblings. Which brought new treatment of Katy. It doesn't excuse his harsh words and actions, but it does make his instant rejection not feel like less a slap in the face with how intense he is against even knowing Katy.

Daemon is still my favorite Black, although Dawson had some great moments. I loved when he got so excited from Bethany just calling him. Brings back fond memories of youth and loves past.

Also, I appreciated getting to see part of what caused the local Luxen's human aversion. Poor Katy - she didn't have a shot in hell of being accepted by any Lux after Dawson basically gave them the finger and told them to suck it when they disapproved of his relationship with Bethany. It was good to see were the prejudice and distrust came from. While I don't agree, I sympathize.

This book felt a more exciting than the first, which is always a good thing. Jumping into Onyx. This might be new favorite series!

No knew thoughts on Justine Eyre. The tone of her voice didn't bother me as much. Maybe that had more to do Dawson and Bethany's interactions being more mature.

Book Review: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book Series: Lux, Book #1
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genres: YA, Paranormal Romance, Aliens
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Justine Eyre
Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins

My Ranking:

When 17-year-old Katy Swartz moved to West Virginia right before her senior year, she'd pretty much resigned herself to thick accents, dodgy Internet access, and a whole lot of boring, but then she spotted her hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up...until he opened his mouth.

Daemon Black is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. It's hate at first sight, but when a stranger attacks her and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. The hot guy next door? Well, he's an alien.

Turns out that Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities and Katy is caught in the crosshairs. Daemon's touch has lit her up like the Vegas Strip and the only way she's getting out of this alive is by sticking close to him until her alien mojo fades. That is, if she doesn't kill him first.

Aliens aren't my thing. Neither are hardcore sci-fi stories; I'm a paranormal girl - fairies, witches, vamps, weres and all the sexy little things that go bump in the night. Thus said, when I first heard about this series, it barely piqued my interest. Then a flash flood of Twilight comparisons came my way, and I was really turned off. I was fully prepared to pass on this series, but then Audible had a sale. They get me every time...

As I prepared myself to cringe my way though a saccharine sweet love story about two people who shouldn't be together, something magical happened. But the first page, I was smiling and laughing at these two characters get under each other's skin in such a hilariously way. This type of humor is definitely up my alley. And, upon finishing the book, said smile was still on my face.

I was surprised how much I liked Daemon, considering through about 75% of the book he was a jackass. But I didn't mind because he made up for it with his wicked charm and snarky, sexy sarcasm. That too, my friends, works for me. Also, I really appreciated that Katy didn't let him get away with it. She was a strong, independent and confident lead witch was refreshing. Too often you run into girls pining for complete jackasses how have cruel words and no heart to back it up... and the girl just takes it and continues to pine for him.

But, Daemon wasn't like that. Yes, he was over the top with this brush offs, but at least his goal was to literally make things so miserable for Katy she'd run screaming. Objective achieved; he came very close. He made it abundantly clear to Katy on many occasions he'd never want her around for himself and that a friendship with Dee wasn't gonna happen. I don't even believe his position truly changed in the end, despite everything. I can respect that.

Enough about Daemon, because I liked Katy just as much. She pushed back just as hard as Daemon shoved, and the end result was hilarious. These two stubborn characters clashed in the most excellent way, but at the same time their non-relationship felt real. Plenty of people have fallen for the wrong guy and Katy know she had, but could she stop? Hell no, not with all the charm he was laying on. Which brings me to the sexual tension ... wow! Definitely made this an enjoyable read.

To wrap things up, overall storyline was only okay for me. If Katy and Daemon weren't in the book, it's own, I find the a little weak. But as setup for the series well that's a different situation. This story felt like sturdy foundation to base the series on. Plus, it ended on a high note and I had stupid grin plastered over my face. Already started the next book and the prequel, Shadows.

For the most part, I liked Justine Eyre. Overall, I thought her voice was a bit too mature. Don't get me wrong, when she spoke as a female teen, she sounded young enough. But with what I'd call Katy's stream of concious, it didn't work. I also don't like how she spoke as Daemon. And she dragged her "m's".  Okay - perhaps I didn't like her. Well, let's just say her style is not mine.