Top 5 Best Book Covers: December 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
THE YEAR OF LIGHTNING
Book Series:  The Time Shift Trilogy, Book #1
Author: Ryan Dalton (Twitter)
Genre(s): YA, Fantasy, Retellings
Release Date: December 8, 2015

When 15-year-old twins Malcolm and Valentine Gilbert moved to a new town, they never imagined that the old house across the street could bring them so much trouble. A secret machine has reawakened inside, with the power to pierce time itself.

Meanwhile, lightning storms are breaking out all over town. They’re getting worse every week, and seem to enjoy striking kids who just want to pass science class and mind their own business. When Malcolm and Valentine discover a connection between the house and the storms, their situation goes from mysterious to crazy stupid dangerous. Someone is controlling the great machine, and their purpose is nearly complete.

In a race against time, the twins must uncover the chilling plan, the mastermind behind it, and the force that’s driving the deadly storms. They’ll hunt a powerful enemy that threatens their town’s existence, and the only clues are written in the sky.

 

 

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.

 

 

Top 5 Best Book Covers: June 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
POWERLESS
Book Series:  The Hero Agenda, Book #1
Author:  Tera Lynn Childs (Twitter) & Tracy Deebs
Genre(s):  YA, Science Fiction, Superheroes
Release Date:  June 2, 2015

Kenna is tired of being "normal". The only thing special about her is that she isn't special at all. Which is frustrating in a world of absolutes. Villains, like the one who killed her father, are bad. Heroes, like her mother and best friend, are good. And Kenna, unlike everyone else around her, is completely ordinary— which she hates.

She’s secretly working on an experiment that will land her a place among the Heroes, but when a Villain saves her life during a break-in at her lab, Kenna discovers there’s a whole lot of gray area when it comes to good and evil and who she can trust.. After all…not all strength comes from superpowers.

 

 

Audiobook Review: The Magicians (The Magicians #1) by Lev Grossman

Title: The Magicians

Book Series: The Magicians, Book #1

Author: Lev Grossman (Twitter)

Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy, Magic

Format: Audiobook (Amazon | Audible)

Narrators: Mark Bramhall

Length: 17 hours & 24 minutes

Release Date: August 11, 2009

Reading Challenges: 2015 Goodreads Challenge, 2015 Audiobook Challenge

Like everyone else, precocious high school senior Quentin Coldwater assumes that magic isn't real, until he finds himself admitted to a very secretive and exclusive college of magic in upstate New York. There he indulges in joys of college-friendship, love, sex, and booze- and receives a rigorous education in modern sorcery. But magic doesn't bring the happiness and adventure Quentin thought it would. After graduation, he and his friends stumble upon a secret that sets them on a remarkable journey that may just fulfill Quentin's yearning. But their journey turns out to be darker and more dangerous than they'd imagined.

Psychologically piercing and dazzlingly inventive, The Magicians is an enthralling coming-of-age tale about magic practiced in the real world-where good and evil aren't black and white, and power comes at a terrible price.

I'd read this before about four years and hated it. It was hard to pinpoint exactly why I felt this way, but I remember having a strong dislike for this book. Someone else I spoke to at a book club meeting expressed the same sentiment. I think I know why -- that idiotic comparison to Harry Potter. I could just imagine myself getting to the end of this book and thinking WTF that was nothing like HP!

Cover Characteristic: Red Covers

Hosted by Sugar & Snark

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

Cover Characteristic: Hats

Hosted by Sugar & Snark

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

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Shards of Hope (Psy-Changeling #14) by Nalini Singh

Hosted By Breaking the Spine

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: Shards of Hope

Book Series: Psy-Changeling, Book 14

Author: Nalini Singh (Twitter)

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Erotic Romance

Release Date: June 2, 2015

The “smoldering heat, epic romance, and awesome action” of Nalini Singh’s New York Times bestselling series continues as two Arrows find themselves caught in a chilling conspiracy that spans all three races…

Awakening wounded in a darkened cell, their psychic abilities blocked, Aden and Zaira know they must escape. But when the lethal soldiers break free from their mysterious prison, they find themselves in a harsh, inhospitable landscape far from civilization. Their only hope for survival is to make it to the hidden home of a predatory changeling pack that doesn’t welcome outsiders.

And they must survive. A shadowy enemy has put a target on the back of the Arrow squad, an enemy that cannot be permitted to succeed in its deadly campaign. Aden will cross any line to keep his people safe for this new future, where even an assassin might have hope of a life beyond blood and death and pain. Zaira has no such hope. She knows she’s too damaged to return from the abyss. Her driving goal is to protect Aden, protect the only person who has ever come back for her no matter what.

This time, even Aden’s passionate determination may not be enough—because the emotionless chill of Silence existed for a reason. For the violent, and the insane, and the irreparably broken…like Zaira.


Why I Picked It:  This is one of my favorite series, so I'll be catching all the books until the very end. I also love the Arrows, so I'm excited!

Cover Characteristic: Yellow Covers

Hosted by Sugar & Snark

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

Cover Characteristic: Black Covers

Hosted by Sugar & Snark

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

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: Pink Covers

Hosted by Sugar & Snark

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

Cover Characteristic: Hair

Hosted by Sugar & Snark

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

Cover Characteristic: Just Words

Hosted by Sugar & Snark

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

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire (Half Moon Hollow #3) by Molly Harper

Hosted By Breaking the Spine

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire
Book Series: Half Moon Hollow, Book #3 Author: Molly Harper (Twitter)
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi
Genres: Humor, Urban Fantasy, Vampires
Release Date: March 31, 2015

In the next book in Molly Harper’s beloved Half Moon Hollow paranormal romance series, Gigi starts her first job (at Vampire Headquarters), gets over her first love, and may even fall for her first vampire!

Gigi is no longer an innocent teen. All grown up and looking for love, her family and friends worry she’ll go for the sexy, alluring vampire instead of a nice, safe human. But sexy and alluring, with a penchant for biting, could be just what Gigi wants...


Why I Picked It:  Again, a favorite series! I love the Half-Moon-Hallow-verse. Glad I for the trailer; didn't release it was a sequel to a book I own, but have yet to read. That just means more Harper coming soon. All around excited.