Source: Borrowed from the library

Publication date: February 5, 2013

Publisher: HarperCollins

Series: Shatter Me #2

Rating:

Summary from Goodreads.com: tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it’s almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She’s finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam’s life.

I enjoyed Shatter Me but didn’t love it so I didn’t rush out to read Unravel Me. When I kept seeing Warner, who I thought was a total douche, pop up on people’s top 10 book boyfriends I had to find out what changed.   I have to admit I’m still not seeing it.  Yes, I feel bad that he had such a crappy family life and I get he’s in love with Juliette because she sees the potential good in him but nothing made me fall in love with him.

In fact, other than Kenji the characters just plain downright irritated me through out the book.  I can’t stand Juliette.  She got dealt a bad hand with this messed up power but her constant crying and woe is me, poor me, why me, etc. got on my nerves.  Especially when everyone kept trying to snap her out of it, to realize there are bigger things going on and she’s not the only one who got a raw deal in life.  Juliette would have her moments of guilt for being so self involved and then slip right back into it.

Then there was the whole love triangle and Juliette’s selfish behavior with both Adam and Warner.  In general, I find it irritating when a girl waffles back and forth between two guys but the fact that she practically gets down & dirty with both guys despite knowing how much she can hurt both of them either physically or emotionally just ticked me off even more.

The bright spot in characters is definitely Kenji.  I adore him and if I had to choose a “team” in this book it would definitely be him.  I love his sarcasm and sense of humor and the fact that he doesn’t take Juliette’s crap.

I will say I really do like Tahereh’s writing style and the story itself definitely has caught my attention.  So despite my irritation with Juliette I will probably pick up the next book.

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

My pick for this week is Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey

It is due out June 27, 2013

Summary from Goodreads.com: Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever.

With Anna, Liam finally finds the happiness he has always been denied; but, the violent, mythical Otherworlders, who inhabit the island and the sea around it, have other plans. They make awager on the couple’s love, testing its strength through a series of cruel obstacles. But the tragedies draw Liam and Anna even closer. Frustrated, the creatures put the couple through one last trial—and this time it’s not only their love that’s in danger of being destroyed.

Based on Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling poem, “Annabel Lee,” Mary Lindsey creates a frighteningly beautiful gothic novel that glorifies the power of true love.

Source: Received for review

Publication date: June 4, 2013

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Series: The Testing #1

Rating:

Summary from Goodreads.com: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies–trust no one.

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

I normally hate when every new book is likened to The Hunger Games or Twilight but in this case I think it is totally warranted to market this as a book for fans of The Hunger Games.  It has a very similar feel to it but there are just enough differences and Charbonneau’s writing was enough to completely engross me in the story.

I had mixed feelings initially about Cia’s character but she definitely grew on me and I came to really enjoy her despite her moments of naiveness.  She is smart and thinks quick on her feet.  While many of the other students take a cutthroat approach to the testing, despite her burning desire to make it into the University she doesn’t let it override her moral code.

Tomas’s character is a trickier one to get a bead on.  I switched back and forth between thinking he is a good guy or a bad guy who is simply using Cia.  I really want him to end up being good but Charbonneau has pulled some tricky moves in the story that took me by surprise.  So I guess we will just have to wait and see which side Tomas ends up being on.

The story itself was exciting, filled with many moments that shocked me and gave me the chills as well as some “wow, didn’t see that coming” scenes.  Let me just say I am so glad our SATs are nothing like the testing to get into this University.  Talk about having to suffer the consequences of your choices.  I could not get through the book fast enough and yet wanted to savor it as I knew there would be a wait until book 2 came out.  Charbonneau did a wonderful job of world building and while I still have questions about why some things are the way they are I’m hoping those will be resolved in future books.  The ending was perfect and yet is killing me because it sets things up that it’s anyone’s guess who Cia will be able to trust now.  Thank goodness book 2 is slated to release in January 2014 because if I had to wait another year to read it I would go crazy wondering.  This is definitely a book you want to pick up but be forewarned it does feel a lot like The Hunger Games.

Find Joelle Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Buy The Testing:

Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Here are the releases I’m looking forward to this week:

May 21

Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown

All I Need by Susane Colasanti

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

I loved Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas and cannot wait for the next book!

Crown of Midnight is due out July 2, 2013

Summary from Goodreads.com:

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.

But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king’s contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king’s bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she’s given a task that could jeopardize everything she’s come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon — forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. 

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

Source: Purchased myself

Publication date: May 7, 2013

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Series: The Fifth Wave #1

Rating:

Summary from Goodreads.com: The Passage meets Ender’s Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

I’d been hearing people rave about this book for months before it came out so I was itching to get my hands on it.  As soon as my copy arrived I tore into it and it certainly lived up to my high expectations.  I know some may be turned off by the idea of an “alien invasion” and dismiss this book because they aren’t into sci-fi but it is so much more than that.  Watching how people cope and adapt to a world in which most of humanity has been wiped out and you can’t even tell who is the enemy any more is heart-wrenching.  Yancey does a wonderful job portraying characters like Cassie who really is your everyday teenage girl whose world has been turned upside down.  She has done things that she could never have imagined before the invasion of her home planet and it makes you question what choices would you make if you were in her shoes.  I love these books that make you really think that while we all may have these lofty ideals that we would never break away from when push comes to shove you never know which way you will fall.

Cassie herself was an amazing character who is a hot head but who realizes that is one of her flaws and tries to overcome it.  She also learns to kick some butt and her determination to keep her promise to her baby brother draws you to her.  The two male protagonists, Evan and Zombie, are also both equally fascinating.  Zombie went from being the popular jock who really couldn’t imagine anything horrible happening in his life, to being torn down to feel like the lowest of the low and then coming back even stronger.  It’s hard to talk about Evan without giving away any spoilers but let’s just say I am looking forward to learning more about him and what is going on inside his head.

The story itself is amazing though the constant switches in the POV threw me off a few times until I got a few sentences in and figured out who we were following.  The pacing was well done and I loved the action and intrigue.  My main reason for not going with the full 5 stars is the romance aspect.  We all know it would be there being almost every YA book nowadays has to have some sort of romance.  My problem with it was how suddenly the romantic interest forms between Cassie and Evan.  I wish we could have seen more of why Evan fell for Cassie before he makes himself known to her and what made her so different from everyone else he has run into.  Cassie’s feelings are much more believable as she doesn’t fall head over heels right away and does question everything about Evan as would be expected in light of everything that is going on.  So I’m hoping at some point in the next book we get to learn more of what drew Evan to Cassie.

Still this book definitely lived up to all the hype and has a little something for everyone – action, adventure, things blowing up(!), romance and intrigue.  This one should definitely top your reading list!

Find Rick Yancey online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Buy The 5th Wave:

Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Here are some of the new releases I have my eye on this week.

May 13

Merger to Marriage by Addison Fox

May 14

School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins

Parallel by Lauren Miller

Inferno by Dan Brown

I am so excited to participate in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s latest cover reveal from Entangled Covet line!  I absolutely love her series and cannot wait to read Obsession which releases 5/31/13.  So check out this steamy cover.

Summary: He’s arrogant, domineering, and… To. Die. For.

Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.

Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something…unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.

Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable—breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life…or is it Hunter?

Now does this sound like a sexy read or what?

Add Obsession to your Goodreads

Find Jennifer L. Armentrout Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Source: Bought on release day!

Publication date: April 30, 2013

Publisher: Harper Teen

Series: The Sweet Trilogy #2

Rating:

Summary from Goodreads.com: Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

I cannot gush enough about this series and Kaidan Rowe.  I gave the first book, Sweet Evil, 5 stars and was giddy beyond belief when my copy of Sweet Peril arrived.

Anna is half heartedly “working” and has morphed into the popular girl who is the life of the party but she is still struggling with the heart-break of Kaidan leaving her.  She has to fight to focus on her mission to recruit Nephilim to join her in a fight that can free them from the control of the Dukes.  I loved seeing Anna and Kopano travel together and that we got to learn more about Kopano himself.  The love triangle was painful to see because I really like Kopano but I love Kaidan and he so belongs with Anna.  The twins, Ginger and Marna, are also back and have some great scenes.   I particularly love it Anna finally confronts Ginger about her disdain towards her and an admiration of Ginger’s boobs helps break the tension.  In addition, to our old favorite characters we also get to meet some new Nephilim who are an interesting cast of characters.

The story itself takes us on many interesting twists and turns made the book fly by.  There are references to being careful on who to trust so I’m curious to find out if all of Anna’s allies are truly allies or if there will be some betrayals coming up.  You may notice how I have yet to truly gush about Kaidan and that’s because my one complaint about the book was there was not enough Kaidan!  He makes appearances here and there but it takes forever before he and Anna finally reunite and try to work things out.

BUT when he did finally join the story he definitely brings on the sexy and then you toss in Blake who I also adore and it was swoon worthy time.  It’s probably very wrong how sexy I find Kaidan and the steam factor he adds in a YA series but seriously he is the son of Lust so I can be forgiven right?

Sweet Peril is an amazing, hot sequel that readers do not want to miss.

Angela from Reading Angel, Candace from Candace’s Book Blog, and Lori from Pure Imagination are throwing the third annual Spring Blog Carnival.  Each participant will be hosting a giveaway booth and the carnival runs from May 6-May 12.

My booth is called Second Chances because there are so many awesome series that debuted last year and I am eagerly awaiting their sequels to see if they blow me away as much as the first.  Some of the 2013 books that are/were on my my read list:

• Everbound by Brodi Ashton (Everneath #2)
• Fragments by Dan Wells (Partials #2)
• Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins (Sweet Trilogy #2)
• Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers (His Fair Assassin #2)
• Vortex by S.J. Kincad (Insignia #2)

And really I could keep on going but let’s get to the giveaway!  Leave me the title of the sequel you are most looking forward to this year to be entered to win a copy (up to a $20 value).
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stop by the other booths for more chances to win great prizes!