The YA Sisterhood

Divergent: The Choosing Ceremony

2012-03-07T10:59:00.000-06:00

Holy jumping trains Batman, we are just 3 months shy of the release of Insurgent!!! I think I can say without a doubt, this is one of the most aniticipated novels of the year! Between the factions, the rebellion and FOUR this series bleeds amazingness. To kick off the celebration early, HarperCollins has been creating some pretty great things to tide us over until the release. I can't word it any more perfectly than Alison from HarperCollins did herself:

As we get closer and closer to the on sale date of INSURGENT (5/1/2012!!!), the excitement just keeps building! We wouldn't want to leave you out in the cold like the factionless, so the team here at HarperCollins has created something awesome to dull the pain of your temporarily Four-less existence. First, check out the Choosing Ceremony eCard. Then, spill some metaphorical blood playing this new game: http://www.facebook.com/DivergentSeries?sk=app_161995987251488

So head on over to facebook and have some fun until our "Four-less" day are over!!!

Waiting on Wednesday: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

2012-03-07T08:16:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers. It is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and releases on April 3rd.

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.
Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Plus, check out this AMAZING book trailer! It seriously have me CHILLS!!! Grave Mercy is definitely a pre-order for me!

Dark Days of Winter: Lauren Oliver

2012-03-06T14:48:00.000-06:00

Check out this Livestream of Lauren Oliver talking about the Delirium Trilogy! As you know if you have followed us for awhile, we LOVE Lauren Oliver! Here are the reviews of the first 2 books in the series, Delirium and Pandemonium.

Here's the link for the livestream: http://www.livestream.com/epicreads

Also! Catch Lauren at All Things Urban Fantasy:

Dark Days Leg 3

2/21 Lauren Oliver at All Things Urban Fantasy

2/22 Claudia Gray at A Life Bound By Books

2/23 Alex Flinn at Mundie Moms

2/28 Dan Wells at Bookalicious

3/1 Lauren Oliver at All Things Urban Fantasy

3/6 Claudia Gray at A Life Bound By Books

3/7 Alex Flinn at Mundie Moms

3/8 Dan Wells at Bookalicious

And see her in person here:

Lauren Oliver (PANDEMONIUM), Claudia Gray (BALTHAZAR), and Dan Wells (PARTIALS)

March 9^th @ 6:30pm | Books & Books | Coral Gables, FL | Harmony's Radiant Reads

March 10^th @ 2pm | Barnes & Noble | Alpharetta, GA | One Page at a Time

March 11^th @ 4pm | Vroman’s | Los Angeles, CA | For Those About to Read

*LIVESTREAM event

Teaser Tuesday: The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

2012-03-06T00:01:00.000-06:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Love is no game. People cut their ears off over this stuff. People jump off the Eiffel Tower and sell all their possessions and move to Alaska to live with the grizzly bears, and then they get eaten and nobody hears them when they scream for help. That's right. Falling in love is pretty much the same things as being eaten alive by a grizzly bear." (ARC p3)

"I was fifteen years old when I died of a broken heart. No urban myths or legends here. I'm talking one hundred percent Death by Heartbreak. No, I didn't kill myself. No, I didn't go on a hunger strike. I didn't catch pneumonia wandering around in the rain in tears, Sense and Sensibility-style, even though I'm kind of obsessed with Kate Winslet. Nope, I did it the old-fashioned way. My heart literally BROKE IN HALF." (ARC p3)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As the wonderful Lauren Oliver says on the front cover, "Gorgeous, funny and heartbreaking." I can't think of three better words to describe this book. Review coming soon!!!

Balthazar by Claudia Gray

2012-03-05T00:01:00.001-06:00

Balthazar by Claudia Gray
Reviewed by: Middle Sis Jenn
ARC received from Harper Teen
Release Date: 3-6-2012
The Sisters Say: Boundary breaking, Blood thirsty, and Breathtaking

Haunted by memories from his first days as a vampire, Balthazar has spent hundreds of years alone—without allies, without love. When he emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, Balthazar has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Having learned of Skye’s powers and the remarkable effect her blood has on vampires, he plans to use her for his own evil purposes. As they stand together to fight the evil vampire, Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by Skye...just as Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all by taking her for his own.

In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart.
(from goodreads.com)

Oh Balthazar, you make me sigh,
For you, all guys, I will deny,
Your chiseled abs and brooding smirk,
Make daydreaming a lifelong perk.
Forget that Skye and come to me!
Bite my neck and set me free!
The thought of you, I am in awe,
I close my eyes, and oh la la!

So I was never one of those people that read and re-read Twilight over and over again, so I am not even close to bored of vampires yet…which is great, because otherwise I might not have read Balthazar right away; and I would have completely been missing out! It was such a quick read (which I love….makes me feel accomplished and genius-like) and there’s just enough detail that you get the action without being bogged down by the color of the sky or the smell of the trees or other such nonsense. Because, with me, I like to get to the steamy part right away!!! (But I’m going to make you wait…not long…but just a little tease!)

Balthazar is a stand-alone novel with characters from the Evernight series. I’ve never read the Evernight series, and I was able to pick up this book and read like I already knew the characters. The only one that confused me at times (where I had to look up a character analysis just to be clear about what he was) was Lucas, and he only has a few cameos (we never see him in person…only a mention of a phone call or text). So that was great that I could read a book without having to go purchase and read all the ones that came before it.

Okay…so here we go…

The novel is focused around Skye Tierney who has the gift of “death sight.” She inherited the ability to experience the deaths of people when Bianca (a wraith) possessed her at the end of the last Evernight book. As a result of the possession, Skye’s aura was awakened to the dead. Now, any time she is in the place where someone died a violent death, she goes into a trance and relives the death—the fear, the pain, all of it. Soon, these psychic powers catch the attention of a monstrous vampire, Redgrave, who just happens to be Balthazar’s nemesis. Skye, unaware of the power her blood has over vampires, finds herself in the middle of a cat and mouse game with Redgrave and his minions.

Enter Mr. Dreamsicle…my mouth is starting to water!

He’s sexy and broody—my two favorite attributes in a vamp! For 100s of years, Balthazar has lived without love; he’s seen how the vampire world tears apart love and innocence. But for some reason, Skye opens his eyes and his heart (all at once now…..awwww!). He pledges to protect her from Redgrave, which requires him to be at her side constantly—even throughout the night.

So, what do I LOVE about it? I absolutely love that Claudia Gray wrote the novel in third person, going back and forth between Skye’s point of view and Balthazar’s. We see Skye constantly fret over whether or not Balthazar looked at her or thought about her. You know what it’s like (or remember what it’s like)….where you want to grab a flower and recite the “He loves me, He loves me not,” over and over again because just maybe he really does love you! You really get to see how Skye deals with the budding romance, it’s ups and downs. I do wish the novel would have delved deeper into her psychic powers because that it was causes the problems to begin with; however, her abilities are put on the back burner while its effects on vampires is thrust in the forefront. I would have liked to see Skye really push her limits to discover what true power she holds.

I love Balthazar’s point of view a hundred times more! He made one rule many centuries ago: no humans. But as Balthazar continues to fall for Skye, he has to continually remind himself of that, and every time he repeated the phrase “no humans,” I smiled because it showed his vulnerability and it’s just great to know that guys can be driven crazy, too. But he keeps refusing to show his feelings—even after Skye saves his life…I won’t tell you how….but I will tell you that there’s an shower scene (EEEEKK!!!!) and he ends up naked in her bed. So beware, parents, about letting your teenagers read this—even though it says it’s for ages 13 and up. Anyways…after that, Balthazar has to recite his rule over and over again. Finally, when he gives in to his desire for Skye, they end up in heart-thumping, chills down your back, embrace that, yes, I read multiple times. Let me tell you—OH LA LA!!!!!

I’ll let you discover the rest on your own.

So, Survey Says….

I am oh so glad I read this book. While, in my opinion, Balthazar is not Jace or Four, I still found him to be oh so hot, so if you enjoy paranormal romance, this book is for you.
What bugged me? It’s supposedly a stand-alone novel, but it ends like it’s going to be a trilogy of its own. So, if there aren’t any books coming after this in the future, I’m going to be upset. I mean, Skye is just now starting to understand her psychic powers (in the last 2-3 chapters of the book) and the power they hold.

For parents, there are a few curse words here and there, but most importantly, there is sexual content. There’s the naked shower scene, a hot and steamy make out session which fades to black, and then there are lots of references to touching each other and kissing each other after the initial sexual acts.

1 Year Blogoversary Grande Finale Giveaway

2012-03-02T00:01:00.001-06:00

Today is finally here! We must say goodbye to the amazing 1st year of our blog and look on to year 2 that will hold some exciting things!!! We will have our 2nd Annual YA Crush Tourney this summer and then in the late fall, early winter, we will have The Villain Tourney or as Britt and I have been jokingly calling it "The Tournament of Villainy". (mwahahahahaha!) Be sure to sign up to be on our email list because you never know when a surprise tournament will pop up! (wink wink)

So with the last day comes our biggest giveaway yet! We had a chance to go to the Dark Days of Winter event in Austin and picked up a few extra goodies while we were there! So, this is going to be a special Dark Days of Winter Giveaway!

The giveaway includes:
A Signed ARC of Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
A Signed ARC of Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
A Signed ARC of Everneath by Brodi Ashton
An Everneath Guitar Pick Necklace and some other swag we will throw in!

Thank of you again for an amazing year, and we look forward to many more! All of you Rock Our Faces Off!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington: A Review and a Giveaway!

2012-03-01T00:01:00.003-06:00

Embrace by
Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany
ARC Received from Permabound Books
Release Date: 3/6/12
The Sisters say: Angelic. Amazing. Action-packed. That's Amore!

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Look for the sequels ENTICED in September 2012 and EMBLAZE in March 2013!

You know... every time I think I'm tired of a certain trend-- a new book pops up that still manages to sweep me away! I thought I'd had enough of Angels, but sure couldn't get enough of Embrace.

Violet is a kick-butt heroine! She's independent, but not so independent that she's without weakness. She's witty, but not so witty that she's always knows exactly what to say. She's brave, but not without fear. She's attractive, but she's insecure. But... she's not so insecure that she's annoying. What I'm trying to say is.... she's real. I could see myself in her. She wasn't one of those heroines that seems to be good at everything, and is practically the second coming. On the flip side, she wasn't one of those heroines who is plain, but everyone treats her like she's amazing. She had all the right mix of attributes to make her an honest, relatable character.

Shirvington gives us a unique take on how her part-angels, known as Grigori, are created. Whenever the mom dies in childbirth, it creates an opening in the baby's... um, aura, I guess? Angels (either light or dark) then have the option of giving a piece of themselves to that child to make him or her a Grigori-- human protectors who wage battles against the fallen angels on earth. There's not a whole lot of religion involved in the book. The angelic realm is balanced by good and evil, and it's a mystery to the Grigori and to the angels, as much as it is to humans. There are a few big plot twists that will keep you hooked (though with the fast pace of this book, I don't think that will be an issue).

Okay... I've gotten some coherent thoughts in... SO NOW IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE BOYS. See what I did there? I held off as long as I could, really.

LIIIIIINNNNNCCCOOOOOLLLLLLLLNNNNNN.

That's what my brain looked like as I read this book. Or occasionally like this....

LINCOLNLINCOLNLINCOLNLINCOLNLINCOLN

Once or twice it looked like this...

LINCOLNLINCOLNPHOENIXLINCOLNLINCOLNPHOENIIIIIIIIIXXXXXXXXX.

Alright. Let me try and real some coherent thoughts back in.

The boys in this book are some of the most swoon-worthy boys I've seen in a long time. If Lincoln doesn't make the YA Crush Tourney this summer, I will die. Unless Phoenix saves me.

Lincoln is Violet's friend. He's older, and they met in a self-defense class. Since then he's become her pseudo-trainer. He's that perfect, hot older guy, that seems out of your reach, but then does something to make you think otherwise. I won't tell you much about it... but there's this kiss... and GUYS. DANG. IT IS SOME KISS.

But when Violet realizes she's Grigori, and that Lincoln is too-- things start to fall apart. Just when it seemed that something might be happening between them, she learns nothing can, because it's not allowed.

Enter Phoenix. Fallen Angel. The very creature from whom she's supposed to protect humanity. But he's different (far different than she will realize until the end of the book). He is hotness incarnate. And he's there when Lincoln isn't.

Seriously. SWOON. BOTH OF THEM. BUT MOSTLY LINCOLN.

And do you know what the best part is? This is a trilogy, but Sourcebooks has scheduled the releases only 6 months apart. Which is good, because I'm suffering from Lincoln withdrawals already.

Oh, wait, I almost forgot! Do you know what the even better best part is???

I HAVE A COPY OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY TO YOU FOR FREEEEEEE!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday & a Giveaway: GILT by Katherine Longshore

2012-02-29T00:01:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is Gilt by Katherine! Lust, Lies, and the inner workings of King Henry VIII's court!

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

In the Tudor age, ambition, power and charismatic allure are essential and Catherine Howard has plenty of all three. Not to mention her loyal best friend, Kitty Tylney, to help cover her tracks. Kitty, the abandoned youngest daughter of minor aristocracy, owes everything to Cat – where she is, what she is, even who she is. Friend, flirt, and self-proclaimed Queen of Misrule, Cat reigns supreme in a loyal court of girls under the none-too-watchful eye of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.

When Cat worms her way into the heart of Henry VIII and becomes Queen of England, Kitty is thrown into the intoxicating Tudor Court. It’s a world of glittering jewels and elegant costumes, of gossip and deception. As the Queen’s right-hand-woman, Kitty goes from the girl nobody noticed to being caught between two men – the object of her affection and the object of her desire.

But the atmosphere of the court turns from dazzling to deadly, and Kitty is forced to learn the difference between trust and loyalty, love and lust, secrets and treason. And to accept the consequences when some lessons are learned too late.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

King Henry VIII's life is certainly one of the most fascinating in history. But this novel delves into the life of one of King Henry's less explored wives-- Catherine Howard. I was particularly fascinated with this book as our family name is Howard! You'll should definitely put this one your To Be Read List! It comes out May 15, 2012 from Viking!

And in case you don't want to wait until May 15-- so long, I know! We're giving you an opportunity to win your very own advanced copy! See below for giveaway details.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver Review & Giveaway

2012-02-28T00:01:00.003-06:00

It's time for Day 4 of our 1 Year Blogoversary Celebration! Today we are celebrating the release of Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver! *throws confetti*

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
HarperCollins
It's out today!
Reviewed by: AmyG (Big sis) and Baby Sister Britt
Sister's Say: Poetic, Pristine, Perfect

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So after I finished Pandemonium, I went straight to twitter and wrote this: NOOOOO! Don't end there!!! To which then I joked around with Brooke from Brooke Reports that my review would look like this:
No words...stunned silent...buy the book!

Of course, that can't be my review even though it accurately and precisely describes my feelings after reading the last page! So here goes with the actual review as literate as I can make it through my stunned silence.

Lauren Oliver appears again to knock our socks off with her beautiful words. From the opening pages of the book, everything is completely sensory. I can feel, see, taste, smell, and hear everything. Not only from the outside, but the inside. I know how Lena felt after leaving Alex at the gate, running for her life without him, physically and emotionally wounded. Not from me trying to imagine it, but from Lauren actually placing me inside Lena's thoughts. She has a way of putting you directly in her character's heads and hearts. Her words are absolute poetry, and her ability to emotionally bind you to her characters is genius.

The story is also told in sort of a fractured timeline. Oliver jumps back and forth in time between the beginning of Lena's escape and later when she has become an established part of the resistance. For some, this jump might seem off-putting, but we loved it. It was so fascinating to see broken Lena and strong Lena, but have no idea when or how the change occurs.

Pandemonium introduces a world of new characters. I loved all them, and the perfect, non-traditional family they created together. Oliver weaves the back stories of these characters into the tapestry of the story and creates a beautiful masterpiece. They are the perfect ensemble to Lena's story. They glide along in the background adding bits and pieces here and there that give the book emotion and more beauty. I'm so excited to see where the story leads with this cast of characters.

I know in Delirium, we all fell in love with Alex! I am right there with all of you, I was completely infected with deliria amor nervosa from the moment I met Alex. And, the disease has struck again, but this time with Julian. Julian, Julian, Julian...what can I say? He is sweet, cute and perfect! His father is head of the campaign for the cure, so you can imagine the turmoil that Julian faces as he realizes that he might be in love. The war raging within himself as he slowly transitions his beliefs from love being a disease to love being a gift is moving and terrifying. I don't think anyone's words but Lauren's could have given his emotions justice. You will love Julian. He is in many ways completely different from Alex, but I promise you will love him all the same.

Now for the ending. Ms. Oliver slaughtered, yes slaughtered all of our hearts with the ending of Delirium. I must say that she does it again in Pandemonium. She is the Queen of crazy, amazing, shocking endings! It's brilliant though! I definitely count this a plus in her novels. I love the tormenting endings, it makes me angsty and crave the next book even more!

Lauren Oliver has quickly made her way into my circle of all time favorite authors. I read her books for her beautiful words. She could honestly write a book about rocks, and it would be utterly breathtaking. She's a true artist when it comes to the talent of weaving words together to create something amazing! Her writing alone should urge everyone to go read this series, but when you combine this with her heart-pounding plots, and masterful characterizations, you have a series for the ages!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review and Giveaway: Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2012-02-27T00:01:00.003-06:00

Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout
A Lux Novella from Entangled Teen
Release Date: 2/21/12
The Sisters Say: Exciting, Endearing, Extraterrestrial

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.

I imagine some of you might be a bit tired of all our fan-girling over Jennifer Armentrout. There's only so many ways we can order/entice/bribe/beg you to read her work (all of it, seriously, every single bit) before we start to repeat ourselves. So, from now on, for everyone's sake, you should just all assume that every mention of Jennifer on our blog comes in that shrieky-higher-pitched-than-a-dolphin-fan-girl-squee.

Now that that's all taken care of... let's talk Shadows.

Shadows is a novella, technically a prequel to Obsidian (see our former squee-filled review here). It has the same great world building featuring the Luxen-- not the little green aliens, but aliens whose true forms manifest in beautiful, awe-inspiring forms of light. Of course, like all alien stories, it is imperative that humans know nothing about their existence.

This has never been much of a problem for Dawson. Like his brother Daemon, he interacts with humans, but has never gotten too close to any of them. Unlike his brother and some other Luxen, he doesn't have any disdain for humans, just not a great deal of interest. That all changes when he meets Bethany.

The new girl catches his eye in a way no other girl has. The closer he gets to her, the more that fascination grows. And in one of my favorite scenes of the entire book, he accidentally lets the cat out of the bag about his alien status. I leave the way that happens a surprise. Trust me, you'll enjoy it.

Dawson is quite different than his brother Daemon. He's a bit more thoughtful, quiet, and caring. You'll fall in love with him, and be grateful for the insight his character provides with regards to his brother. That has to be one of my favorite things about this book--getting more background info about other characters, and knowing what will happen to them in the future. This novella is ripe with foreshadowing for Obsidian.

Like all of Jennifer's work-- Shadows has a heart-thumping, mind-numbing, skin-shivering romance. But more than that... it will also pull on your heartstrings. And if you're like me.... it will leave you formulating theories for the continuation of this series!

This novella is not without it's issues-- it bothered me a little that we never got to see Bethany make any friendships besides with Dawson. I think the alternating POV's between Bethany, Dawson, and Daemon kept us from connecting with each individual characters as well as we would have if it had been a bit more focused.

That being said-- this is a novella-- meant to whet our appetites (though at a whopping 170-something pages, it's definitely the most deliciously long novella I've ever read). And it certainly does that! Fans of Jennifer Armentrout will cheer for this intriguing addition to the series!

Now that I've gushed for a little while, as part of our week long BLOGOVERSARY celebration, we're offering an eBook copy of SHADOWS (Nook or Kindle)! Just fill out the rafflecopter form below!

Also, leave us a comment an let us know-- which is your favorite kind of book boyfriend: Sweet, thoughtful, and charming like Dawson? Or Sarcastic, Dangerous, and Sinfully Sexy like Daemon?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Chelsea Fine Giveaway: Anew and Sophie and Carter

2012-02-26T00:01:00.002-06:00

And it's day 2 of our 1 year Blogoversary! Today we are celebrating Chelsea Fine, one of our favorite Indie authors. Her debut novel was a sweet little contemporary romance titled Sophie and Carter, and her 2nd novel Anew is a swoon-worthy paranormal romance. The best of both worlds from 1 author! You can click on the titles above and see my review for both of these novels.

Today, both of her novels are up for grabs for 1 lucky winner!

While other high school seniors are dreaming about their futures, Sophie and Carter are just trying to make it through each day. Carter is overwhelmed by issues at home as he struggles to support his mother. Meanwhile, next door neighbour Sophie is left to care for her three younger siblings in place of their absent and troubled mother. All that holds these two best friends together is each other, and knowing that each night they'll sit together on Sophie's front porch swing and escape from reality, if just for awhile. But as their relationship reaches a turning point and high school graduation nears, will their friendship become something more?

Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery...until she met a boy with a familiar voice.
Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer.
Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out of her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past...might just be the death of her.

Thanks to Acacia Publishing for the giveaway copies! You guys are awesome! US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Northanger Alibi by Jenni James Giveaway

2012-02-25T00:01:00.003-06:00

Okay people, here it is! This is the first of many great giveaways for this week all in celebration of our 1 year blogoversary!

For this giveaway, I'm calling all Jane Austen and Twilight fans everywhere! This is one for you! I had the priviledge of reading and reviewing an arc of this in January and really enjoyed this book! It was such a lighthearted, fun read. You can check out my review of Northanger Alibi here. You can also go to Jenni James's website and see all the fun she has planned with her Jane Austen Diaries. Northanger Alibi is out now and if you don't win our giveaway, you can snag your own copy on Amazon or if you prefer an ebook here. Here's a little bit about the book:

This modern Gothic remake of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, and nod to Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series, will leave you in stitches--literally.
Seattle Washington, and the Russo family, are no match for Claire Hart and her savvy knowledge of all things vampire related. Thanks to her obsession with the Twilight series--if there is anyone who would know a vampire when she saw one, it's Claire. And she's positive totally hot Tony Russo is a vampire, she just has to prove it! Follow Claire's hilarious journey on her first summer adventure away from home, where she learns everything isn't what it seems, and in some instances, reality is way better than anything she'd ever find in a book.

I also want to say thank you to Inkberry Press for providing a copy of Northanger Alibi for this giveaway! They rock!!!
US only please.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's Our 1 Year BLOGOVERSARY

2012-02-24T00:01:00.001-06:00

Guys! It’s hard to believe that Amy and I started the YA Sisterhood one year ago. I remember sitting on my couch, working on that background, asking Amy which book covers we should include in the background. I remember posting that first review (the wonderful Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini) and being ecstatic over the 10 hits we got. I remember screaming when Josephine herself tweeted about the review on twitter.

We’ve come a long way since then (but I still scream every time we interact with an author). On a whim, last summer (after only a few months blogging), we decided to hold a tournament pitting hot YA boys against each other. We grew up in a sports household, but talking about Jace and Peeta is much more entertaining for us than talking about UT and OSU. The next thing we knew, our hits exploded, and people all over the world were chiming in with their favorite YA Crushes. Authors that we obsessed over in private were tweeting about it on Twitter and mentioning it on their blogs. Our blog grew exponentially, expanding from about 100 followers to a 1000 within two months time. We made some fantastic blogger friends (here’s looking at you advocates!), formed relationships with some of our favorite authors, added a sister-in-law and a few honorary sisters, and had more fun than we ever could have anticipated. You guys know how the story goes from there… we continued blogging and strengthening those relationships. Then we held the Heroine Tourney, which allowed us to celebrate the counterpoints of those YA Crushes that had started it all. And now we’ve come full circle. In a year, we’ve had over 900,000 hits, and are approaching that big MILLION mark.

This blog has become so much more than we ever planned. And we have you all to thank for that! Seriously, we love opening our emails to see comments from you guys. We can waste hours talking books with you on Twitter. And to thank you all for your wonderful support, we’re holding our SUPER MEGA GIGANTIC AWESOME BLOGOVERSARY GIVEAWAY! We’ve got ARCS! We’ve got signed books! We’ve got SWAG! And we want you all to have a chance to win it! So, thanks again for everything you’ve done!!!

Starting this weekend, we will start celebrating! Be sure to come back tomorrow to enter our 1st giveaway to thank all of you for such an amazing year!

Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith

2012-02-23T00:01:00.001-06:00

Kiss Crush Collide

By Christina Meredith

ARC received from HarperTeen

Reviewed by Sis-in-law Sarah

Kiss
What Leah did—only she really shouldn’t have—one hot night at a country club party.

Crush
What Leah has—only she really shouldn’t have—on the guy with the green eyes, the guy who is not her perfect boyfriend, the guy who does not fit in her picture-perfect life, the guy her sisters will only mock and her mother will never approve of. Not in a million years.

Collide
What happens when everything you always thought you wanted—having cool friends, being class valedictorian and homecoming queen—runs smack into everything it turns out you really do want.

Kiss. Crush. Collide.
For Leah and Porter, summer is only the beginning.

Summary from barnesandnoble.com

When I picked up this book, I was looking for a quick read that still had me falling in love with the characters, and that's exactly what I got with this one!

Leah is THAT popular girl. You know the one...the one that everything seems to just magically happen for her without her seemingly having to lift a finger. She has the perfect family (her mother has made sure that everyone knows this too...after all, appearances ARE everything), the perfect grades (easy to do when you're the youngest of three and your two older sisters were valedictorians), the perfect boyfriend (he's popular too...that's all that matters, right?) Like I said...the perfect life. And she hates it. But then again, wouldn't you? Even though we all still tend to fall into the trap of believing attaining the perfect blah-blah-blah will make us truly happy, we've seen over and over again that this simply doesn't work.

So, Leah finds the solution to quitting her perfect life...and he has crazy gorgeous green eyes. And what a romance fling this is!!! I really enjoyed the story of Leah and Porter...how they find each other and use each other to escape their, though totally opposite, equally imprisoning lives.

Yet, my favorite part about this book is all the family dynamics. Leah has two older sisters. Being from a family of three girls (as are Big Sis Amy and Baby Sis Brittany), I could identify with so much of the dynamics between them. Now, I will say they kind of have a mucho crazy mom, which, thankfully, I do not. But the dynamics between three sisters was very familiar! It's the job of the oldest to plow the way through for the younger ones, the job of the middle to bend the rules just a little, and the job of the youngest to find that path that makes her just a little different from the others so she is not just the last sister in a line of three. Throughout the book, Leah is trying to figure out who she is, because she is not sure if the life of the older two is what she wants. I loved having this new perspective...as Leah is the youngest and I am the oldest. I felt like it gave me a little insight into being the baby of the family!

I'd definitely recommend this one, especially if you're looking for that quick weekend read! And I know the cover looks especially juicy (or, as my baby sister exclaimed when she saw it sitting on my coffee table, "Sarah! What KIND of books are you reading?!?!), but this one's relatively clean with a few steamy makeout scenes and some talk about sex.

Teaser Tuesday: If I Die by Rachel Vincent

2012-02-21T00:01:00.002-06:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

I actually read this book last week, in fact I read books 2-5 in this series last Wednesday through Saturday. I couldn't make myself stop! I also keep going back to read this one, heart-stopping, stomach clenching, squee-worthy quote! So, I must share it with all of you, in hopes that if you haven't read this series, you will and come squee with me! If I Die is the 5th book in the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent and is on shelves now!

"I fell into that kiss like Alice into Wonderland, headfirst and flailing, heart pounding the whole time. The world spun around me and still I fell, and I only crashed down to earth again when someone called my name." (p. 206)

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Cover Reveal & Excerpt of INBETWEEN by Tara Fuller

2012-02-19T23:01:00.001-06:00

We're excited to reveal to you the cover for an upcoming release by Entangled Publishing! Entangled is sort of a new kid on the block, but they are already making a HUGE splash. Remember OBSIDIAN by Jennifer L. Armentrout? Remember how I gushed uncontrollably? Same Publisher. We sisters have also had a chance to read two more Entangled books (reviews to come soon), and adored them both. Not to mention, they've got numerous books scheduled to release that sound absolutely amazing! We're so excited to be able to help spread the word about one of those new releases! So, here it is, ladies and gentlemen! The cover for INBETWEEN (Kissed by Death, #1) by Tara Fuller, scheduled for release on August 7, 2012!

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s

life has been a freaky—and unending—lesson in caution. Surviving

“accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so

Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling

in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who

makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.

It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate

has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him

hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn't let her die before,

and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves

from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the

only thing he has left…his soul.

Here is a special exerpt from Inbetween:

Chapter 1

Finn

Sometimes Emma made me feel so alive, I almost forgot I was dead.

Almost.

I sank down onto the side of her bed, amazed by the blazing wildfire that swept through me whenever Emma was near enough to touch. I took a deep, unneeded breath, and settled down on my side next to her. The mattress didn’t sink. The springs didn’t groan with the weight of an extra body. The distance between us was an impossible void. Inches that might as well have been miles. Miles that left me wanting in so many ways that I ached.

Even the sun couldn’t resist her. Its glowing rays caressed her skin, and stained her hair the satiny color of summer wheat. Before I knew what was happening, my hand followed their lead. Cells ignited. My skin burned, screaming with the agonizing need to touch—

“What do you think you’re doing?”

I jerked my hand away just as Easton melted up from the polished hardwood floor beneath the window. Like an oil slick coming to life, he unfolded his long, shadowy legs until he was just an ink blot against the square of tangerine sunrise behind him. His violet eyes pinned me like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Which, I kind of was.

“Nothing,” I lied.

“Yeah, looked like nothing.” He strolled across the room accompanied by a wave of sulfur and smoke, the black serpent tattoo on his neck glinting. “What were you planning to do, recite her poem? I swear to God, if you were still alive I’d confiscate your man card.”

I ignored the barb and scrunched up my nose. “Jesus, Easton. Don’t they have a shower somewhere between here and the afterlife?”

“Screw you. You didn’t just have to tow somebody’s grandpa to Hell.” He brushed something chalky and grey off of his cloak and a shudder worked its way down my spine. God only knows who or what it belonged to. “Besides I wasn’t the one about to feel up a sleeping human.”

“I wasn’t—”

“Save it.” He waved his hand. “We have work to do. I don’t have time for your useless obsession with the human today.”

“Will you please stop calling her that?”

“What?” Easton glanced up from Emma’s vanity, where he’d been inspecting the various lotions and bottles like he was on some alien planet. Then again, Easton had been dead for something like four hundred years, so all of her stuff probably was sort of alien to him.

“The human. You make me sound like a freak. It’s not like we’re a different species for God’s sake. We were humans, too, or don’t you remember that far back?”

“Were. Past tense.”

We could have gone back and forth like that for hours, but the call came. It always did. It started in my bones—a cold so cutting that it sliced through me like a machete. When I looked up, Easton’s jaw was clenched, his muscles taut and ready. He slowly closed his hand around the handle of his scythe that burned black and softly smoked at his side. I flexed my fingers as the icy ribbons of death worked their way through each one of my limbs.

“Can you take this one for me?” I asked. “You’re already going to be there, and I just got back—”

“No,” Easton said. “Hell no. I have my own job to do. I can’t keep covering for your sorry ass. Besides, you’re already on thin ice with Balthazar. Don’t push your luck, Finn. Just keep your nose down, collect your souls, and thank the Almighty that you don’t have my job. Now let’s go.”

“Yeah, but…” My eyes returned to Emma. Sleeping. Perfect. Safe.

“For the love of God. She’ll be fine, you pansy.” Easton clamped a hand over my shoulder and dragged me from the bed.

“How do you know?”

He shrugged. “I don’t.”

With that he vanished, consumed in a flash by the keening wails of the damned. The screams beckoned. Clawed at me from the inside out.

Rule one as a seeker: Death doesn’t wait for anyone.

And it sure as hell wasn’t waiting for me now.

Paperback Available for Pre-Order from Amazon.

Add to your Goodreads.

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

2012-02-17T00:01:00.001-06:00

The Gathering Storm
By Robin Bridges
Reviewed by: Sis-in-law Sarah
ARC received from: Random House Publishing
Release date: Just released January 10, 2012!

Summary from goodreads.com

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

Having enjoyed Russian literature in the past, loved movies such as Anastasia and Dr. Zhivago, and visited Russia and Montenegro, I was very much drawn to this book. There is such an eeriness to Russian culture that truly lends itself to the supernatural, making this book a perfect blend of historical fiction and paranormal. Well done, Robin Bridges, in choosing such an awesome setting for such a creepy mysterious story!

Basically, the author has taken the Russian fairytales of how the tsars were very much involved in the paranormal (faeries, vampires, werewolves, and such) and combined them with the story of a young girl who, like all young girls, is seeking to find her true self and her purpose. And how often in that seeking we find things within ourselves that we feel make us unacceptable and unloveable! Katerina is no exception!

Katerina (or Katiya) is born with what she and others believe is a dark curse...the ability to raise the dead. Once she discovers this about herself she will do everything in her power to conceal it from those she loves, knowing full well that if her power is revealed, she will be cast out...perhaps even killed. What she doesn't know, is that she is desperately needed to defeat the darkness that threatens the Russian tsar and his family. What an awesome premise for a creepy book filled with undead soldiers, blood drinkers, mysterious spells, extravagant balls, and handsome young men!

And handsome young men it has!!! Of course Katiya has attracted the attention of two royal princes, Danilo, the crowned prince of Montenegro, and George Alexandrovitch, the second son of the Russian tsar. (Don't you wish these things happened in real life? Not one...but two princes?! Really?!) One prince she seems not to be able to stay away from, the other she desperately needs. So realistic...doesn't love tend to be confusing at times?! The romance is a definite plus in this book! And those who prefer to stay on the clean side of romance can feel comfortable reading this one!

I did have a hard time with the names in this book. Obviously, they are all Russian. And everyone has like...three or four names. And since it is Russian nobility, many of the characters are related to each other somehow. It makes it kind of difficult to keep up with who's who. However, I can understand this, having never successfully made it through a Tolstoy novel actually knowing whom everyone is from beginning to end. Yet, I do feel like the author did the best she could with this, keeping to the Russian tradition of names (which she explains in the beginning of the book), yet making it accessible to the young reader.

This is definitely the beginning to an exciting new trilogy you're gonna want to get your hands on! I'm most certainly anxious for book #2!

Cover Reveal: Gravity by Melissa West

2012-02-16T00:32:00.000-06:00

Today we have the honor of revealing a beautiful new cover, for an upcoming book from Entangled Publishing. We love Entangled and everything that we have read thus far from them, and we have a sneaking suspension that we are going to fall hard for this book also! With a beautiful cover, a great setup, and a dreamy boy named Jackson, count us in times a thousand! Gravity is by Melissa West and will be released in October of 2012.

In the future, only one rule will matter:
Don't. Ever. Peek.
Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the lastperson she expected hovering above her bed - arrogant Jackson Locke, themost popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kindof freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: helphim, or everyone on Earth will die.
Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes herquestion what she's been taught about his kind. And against her instincts,she's falling for him. But Ari isn't just any girl, and Jackson wants morethan her attention. She¹s a military legacy who¹s been trained by herfather and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one canknow - especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson theinformation he needs will betray her father and her country, but keepingsilent will start a war.

Pre-order Gravity from Amazon.
Add Gravity to Goodreads.

Waiting on Wednesday: Shadows (Lux #0.5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2012-02-15T00:01:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout! This is technically a novella prequel, but it comes in at a fantastic 179 pages! We love all things JLA, and we're certain that Dawson will be just as delicious as Daemon.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

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.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

And *GASP* that COVER!

Raise you hand if you want SHADOWS now? Keep your hand raised if you want to keep the guy on that cover, too!

And do you know what the best part of this Waiting on Wednesday is? SHADOWS releases in LESS THAN A WEEK!

Get your ebook of the novella on Tuesday, February 21st!

Valentine's Day Special: My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

2012-02-14T00:01:00.002-06:00

Several weeks back I signed up to be apart of Rachel's (over at Fiktshun) Soul Screamers Reading Challenge. Tod and Nash were both in our YA Crush Tourney this summer, and Tod was one of the dark horses that came close to taking the whole thing! He has some huge fans, and he won some pretty amazing matches. I kept telling Rachel that I was going to read them, but other books kept pushing their way in front. So, a few days back, I finally set down to start My Soul to Take, the first book in the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent. And...yep....hmmmm.....what to say....because I am still stinkin' SPEECHLESS!!!! I'm so glad that my review is going up on Valentine's Day because I have some new very worthy crushes in Tod and (the worthy part might come in to question here) Nash! I fell hard for both these guys! I'm squeeing under my breath right now just writing about them! And the best part is, I still have 4 more books to go!

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
Harlequin Teen
In stores now!
Reviewed by: AmyG (Big Sis)
Sister's Say: It's a Stunningly, Sensational, Screamin' Good Time!

She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.
Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

When I started reading this book, I had concerns that it couldn't possible be as good as all the twitter hype. I've read some pretty amazing books lately, so it had some big shoes to fill. From the plot, to the characters, to the setting, Rachel Vincent hit a home run!

The plot was an exciting, unique experience into the bean sidhe or banshee folklore. As a female bean sidhe, Kaylee "sings" souls into the afterlife. However, it only sounds like singing to male bean sidhes. To them it is a hauntingly beautiful song that seductively draws them in, but to the rest of us, it sounds like a rippingly painful screech. The plot Rachel Vincent weaves around this ancient lore of bean sidhes, trapped me from the very start and refused to let go until the last page.

I loved all the characters--even the terrible Sophie! She's one of those girls that I love to hate! Kaylee on the other hand, is an amazing, likable, heroine surrounded Nash and Tod, 2 VERY crush worthy heroes. The chemistry between all of them keeps the pace of the novel moving. I was on the last page of the novel way too soon!

Lastly, as a Texas girl, I must mention the setting of the great Lone Star State! There should be more books set in Texas! It was incredible to already have a picture of the setting in my mind as soon as she spoke of it. I hope everyone has read a novel where they get to experience that! I love to know that these characters and I have walked the same streets and seen the same sights. It made me feel that I had a special connection with Kaylee, Nash and Tod.

I highly recommend this book, and definitely, read it before the next Crush Tourney! For those wanting to know the maturity content, I would suggest this book for older YA's. There is some sexual content, and the characters deal with some pretty mature issues regarding death and souls.

I am in the process of reading this entire series, so stay turned for more reviews of the next books. Also, if you want to join this Soul Screamer's Challenge, go check out more on Fiktshun's blog. We need more people on these boys' teams!

Because of Low Blog Tour: Willow's POV

2012-02-13T00:01:00.000-06:00

We, at the YA Sisterhood, love us some Abbi Glines. You might recall our review of her first book Breathe or her next book The Vincent Boys or her next book Existence. Did we mention we love how prolific she is too! And her latest book actually features a character we already know and love-- Marcus Hardy from Breathe! BECAUSE OF LOW is told in alternating POV between Marcus and the girl who catches his eye, Willow or Low. If you liked Breathe, you'll definitely like this one! And if you enjoyed the way Vincent Boys was aimed at a slightly older audience, you'll like it even more! Without further ado... here's a sneak peak at Willow from BECAUSE OF LOW. Be sure to check out the bottom of this post for more info about the tour and how you can win a copy of all of Abbi's books!

Marcus Hardy had hoped to enjoy a year away at college while he put the summer he’d rather forget behind him. But instead, he’s jerked right back to the coastal town of Sea Breeze, Alabama due to a family crisis. His dear ol' dad found himself a girlfriend only a few years older than Marcus. So now his sister needs help dealing with their mother who is mentally falling apart. The only bright spot to returning is the fascinating red head who sleeps over several times a week. The problem is she's sleeping in bed with his new roommate, Cage Watson.

Willow “Low” Foster needs a place to live. Running to Cage’s apartment every time her sister kicks her out isn’t exactly a long term solution. Juggling her courses at the local community college and a part time job doesn’t produce excess income. But Cage has a new roommate and suddenly sleeping over at her best friend’s apartment isn’t such a bad thing. Not when she gets to see those sexy green eyes of Marcus Hardy’s twinkle when he smiles at her like he wants her there.
Even though Cage seems a little territorial where Low is concerned, Marcus finds time to spend with Low without upsetting his roommate. Cage may use his small college baseball star persona to sleep with every hot female in his path but he’s still under the disillusion that when he’s through sowing his wild oats, he’s going to marry Low. Marcus intends to change that assumption for both Cage and Low. Until his carefully laid plans come crashing down with a revelation he never expected. He’ll have to choose between Low or his family. Because once the truth comes out.... there’s no other choice.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Willow's POV

I took the quilt off the bed as I stood up and gently covered Cage’s half naked body. He’d stripped down to his boxers last night in his attempt to get rid of his smoke, whiskey, and cheap women infested clothing. Didn’t matter he still smelled like all those things. The ridiculously chiseled body of his was always a golden brown. His mother had been one hundred percent Indian and it was obvious in his features. The pale blue eyes of his had to be the only thing his dad gave him genetically and physically. That was one of the many bonds Cage and I shared, absent fathers.

My suitcase held the only three clean outfits I currently had. My dirty clothes were piled up over in the corner of Cage’s room in a plastic laundry basket. I really needed to make time to do the laundry. Grabbing a pair of jeans and a “Hurricane’s Baseball” t-shirt Cage had given me from my meager supply of clothing, I dressed quickly and quietly. After I’d brushed my hair, I closed my suitcase and threw my clothing from last night into the dirty clothes basket.

Gently closing the bedroom door behind me so I didn’t wake him, I turned and headed for the fridge. I needed some coffee and I wanted to leave some ready for Cage when he woke up. Lord knows he’d need it after his late night.

“I thought you left last night.”

I spun around to see Marcus Hardy sitting at the kitchen table with a newspaper and a cup of coffee already in his hands. I really wish he wasn’t so dang gorgeous. Marcus Hardy wasn’t in my league or even my atmosphere. How Cage had landed a Hardy for a roommate, I had no idea. Preston must be really tight with Marcus which seemed odd since Preston grew up much like Cage and me.

“Um, no, that was Cage that left last night.”

Marcus frowned that disapproving frown I’d seen last night again. He really didn’t get Cage and me at all. I wasn’t sure if he was judging me or Cage but it annoyed me. Even though he had the prettiest green eyes I’d ever seen on a guy in my life.

“Cage isn’t here?”

I shook my head, “No, he’s back. He had a um, call last night and he went out. He got back a few hours ago.”

“So he left you here while he went... out”

I sighed and reached for a coffee cup.

“Yep”

“I was going to make me some eggs and toast. You want some?”

That hadn’t been the response I’d expected. I was sure he was going to beat this thing with Cage and me into the ground. Instead, he was offering to fix me breakfast.

“No thanks, I’ve got to go keep my niece today.” I held up the coffee mug in my hand, “I take mugs full of coffee with me when I leave but I always bring them back.”

Marcus shrugged, “No worries. They aren’t mine anyway.”

“I know. I bought them for Cage when he got this place.”
Marcus stood up and walked over to the fridge and began getting eggs and butter out. If I was honest with myself I really wanted to stand here and watch him cook. Then eat breakfast with him and see if I could make him smile. I felt sure he had a really nice smile. Those green eyes would probably twinkle.

“If you’re sure you can’t stay. My cooking is pretty damn impressive.”

Marcus reached over to open the drawer beside me. The clean soap smell mixed with coffee and something else that reminded me of warm summer days met my nose. I fought the urge to grab his shirt and take a deeper whiff. He’d think I was crazy. I’d always thought the way Cage smelled when he came home from celebrating a victory game was the best smell in the world. But Cage’s sweat, beer, and cigarettes couldn’t compete with clean Marcus Hardy.

Okay, I needed to go.

“Um, okay, I gotta run. Thanks again and I’ll take you up on breakfast another time. I’ve got to get to my sister’s place before she comes over here with my niece in tow.”

Marcus glanced up and a small frown puckered his brow. He seemed concerned. If the guy only knew this was the least of my problems. I wondered what he would think if he knew I actually had nowhere to live. My sister’s couch and Cage’s bed were the only options I had for now. Somehow I knew he’d want to fix that and it warmed me. Shaking my head from my illusions of Marcus, I stepped around him and his yummy goodness then headed for the door.

“You gonna be okay?” he called as my hand touched the handle. A smile tugged at my lips. I was right. He did care. But then guys like Marcus wanted to save the world.

“Yep,” I replied glancing back over my shoulder to flash him a smile before stepping outside and heading to my reality.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Giveaway:

Abbi is supplying each blog on the tour an ebook copy of Because of Low and a signed bookmark to giveaway.

To enter all you have to do is comment below. You can get more entries by tweeting about this post and adding a link back. If you tweet about it be sure to add @abbiglines to the post so Abbi can keep up with how many entires you have.

Grand Prize:

Signed copy of Breathe by Abbi Glines
Signed copy of The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines
Signed copy of Existence by Abbi Glines
ebook copy of Because of Low

ONE person will win all three copies of Abbi’s other books that are now in print signed by the author along with an ebook copy of Because of Low. To enter for the grand prize be sure to leave a comment at a minimum of five of the blog tour stops.

Don't forget to check out more stops on the BECAUSE OF LOW Blog Tour by clicking the banner below:

Harry Potter T-Shirt Giveaway from T-Shirts.com

2012-02-12T22:37:00.002-06:00

We have an exciting giveaway running for the next 2 weeks! We are partnering with T-Shirts.com to give one special follower a Harry Potter t-shirt of their choice! This is what T-Shirts.com has to say about their Harry Potter shirts:

Accio t-shirt! We have a wide selection of Harry Potter t-shirts for kids and adults that will make you feel like you're on platform 9 3/4, waiting to go to Hogwarts! Show all the muggles who your favorite House is in one of our Hogwarts t-shirts, or that you're "up to no good" in a Marauder's Map t-shirt. You can celebrate the brilliant and timeless series from J.K. Rowling when you go in one of these whimsical Harry Potter Tees for the entire family.

Be sure to visit their site T-Shirts.com to see all their great Harry Potter shirts, and follow them on twitter and facebook. Plus, we want to say a big thank you to them for providing us this awesome giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Anew by Chelsea Fine

2012-02-10T00:01:00.002-06:00

Anew by Chelsea Fine
Published by Accacia Publishing
A Big Thank You to them for my review copy!
It's available now in paperback & ebook.
Ebook is a steal at $3.99 from Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Reviewed by: AmyG (big sis)
Sister's Say: Amazing, Arresting, and Utterly Addictive

Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery...until she met a boy with a familiar voice.
Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer.
Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out of her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past...might just be the death of her.

I was so excited when I saw Chelsea Fine was coming out with a YA paranormal romance because I really enjoyed her debut novel Sophie & Carter. I prefer to read paranormal, so when I see an author that I already like, writing paranormal, I tend to get a little giddy! Then, I saw the cover and Holy Gorgeousness Batman, I was completely swept away! Let me just say, that after reading the book, the cover has so much more meaning!

Anew is a large book, topping out at almost 400 pages of awesomeness! I love big books, and I cannot lie! Especially books that contain wonderful stories! Anew is exactly the type of book I like to read, dark mysterious guys (twins to be exact), ancient curses, deadly midieval weapons, immortality, the fountain of youth, amnesia, a strong heroine, and the name ARCHER! Archer is the twin's last name, but Baby Sister Britt and I both have a thing for fictional boys named Archer regardless of it it comes first or last.

The fun of the book is solving the mysteries along with the characters, so I don't want to give too much away, but I'll say a little to wet your appetite! Scarlet wakes up at the age of 15 in the woods in Avalon, Georgia with no memory. Then 2 years later, 2 mysterious, very good looking young men step into her life out of the blue! She is drawn to the familiar voice of one, and the all encompassing presence of the other . Yep, how about a love triangle with brothers? Hmmm, is blood really thicker than water? I have a feeling we are going to be seeing some pretty crazy fireworks in this series! Something pretty heavy is on the horizon that the brothers know all about; however, because of Scarlet's mysterious amnesia, she is completely in the dark. Scarlet can remember nothing from her past except that she has strong feelings for both Gabriel and Tristan. And, that's all I'm going to say! Between the tall dark and handsome brothers, a ancient curse, and dangerous enemies everything is delivered to you in a perfect little package with a drop dead gorgeous cover!

The plot and the story drive the book, but a really complete book can't be successful without the little things. In the opening chapter of the book, Scarlet and her best friend, Heather, are attending the annual Kissing Festival! The scene was straight up out of a sci-fi novel where there is happy juice in the water supply or everyone's brains have been slightly altered....or so you think! I draw your attention to the setting, yes, Georgia, in the heart of the deep south! Being from the South, I can laugh at this and say, many times visiting the South can seem like a completely different country! We are stinkin' proud of it too! I grew up with all kinds of little festivals and traditions around our tiny town, sadly none as interesting as a kissing festival! I did love that Chelsea threw in that little bit, and how revealing it was of each character with their reaction to the Kissing Festival. It gave me a good feel of each person right from the start. Right along these same lines of character development was the unique POVs that Chelsea chose. It's 3rd person, but a pretty close 3rd person, and she switches between the POV's of Scarlet, Gabriel, and Tristan in alternating chapters! Yes, you actually get to have a tiny peak into the mind of all the angles in this love triangle!

All in all, I higly recommend this book! I've seen a development in Chelsea Fine's writing style from Sophie & Carter to Anew, and think we are going to see her books keep getting better and better! She is one of those Indie author's that you are going to want to keep watching! She's brilliant, and I am counting down the days until I have Awry in my hands!

OH, OH, OH YEAH, one more thing!!! This has a HUGE cliffhanger of an ending that has me still screaming, "It can't end there!" (It's exactly where I would have ended it too though!) So yeah, go buy the book and come join us tortured readers over here anxiously awaiting book 2!

Those parents or others looking for content maturity level, it's pretty safe for any YA to read. There is one kissing scene that gets a little heated with very few detail. No harsh language, and there is some violence.

**Stay tuned in the near future for a special giveaway of this book!**

Month of Love with Harper Collins

2012-02-09T00:01:00.005-06:00

In honor of February being the home of Valentine's Day and the official month of love, Harper Collins/Harper Teen is doing some EPIC things to help celebrate this beloved holiday! I love Harper Collins and all their creative ideas to reward their readers and get them involved. This month, EpicReads will feature some amazing LOVE stories that will have us all swooning in our seats! They will be hosting special promotions, giveaways, special content, and polls all celebrating LOVE. Be sure that you check out their site everyday because you are NOT going to want to miss any of this! CLICK ANY OF THE IMAGES to participate in all the gushy, lovey, fun!

Waiting on Wednesday: Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins

2012-02-08T00:01:00.005-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This weeks book that we are anxiously awaiting is Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins. This is book #3 and the grande finale in the Hex Hall trilogy.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.
Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

I am so so so ready for this book to come out and finally know how it all ends!!! I haven't even read this yet, but I am already completely SPELLBOUND!!! Yep, I went there!!!:D Spellbound comes out March 13th, and you can better believe I will have it read before the 14th! With Demonglass, I had pre-ordered it through Amazon or Barnes & Noble one, and it had not come before I had to go pick up my kids from school. So, I'm sitting in the pick-up line waiting for my kids and download the sample on my kindle from amazon. Lo' and behold, I get to chapter 3 and proceed to FREAK OUT in my car in front of the eyes of all the other Moms! And, that is right where the free preview ends! I still had a good 10 minutes before I would be at the front of the line, and I try to reign in my fan-girl freak out! But, after chewing off all my nails, and making my car bounce from my nervous fidgeting, I bite the bullet and order the complete ebook! Yes, I know I had the actual book waiting for me at home, but CHAPTER 3 guys!!! I must say, that it was completely worth it! Everyone needs a copy of all these books in hardback, paperback and on their e-reader! Which by the way, the paperback edition of Demonglass was just released, and it has a sneak peek of Spellbound! Add this complete series to your TBR pile! Trust me, you will be thanking me!!! Now just to decide who I want Sophie to end up with, definitely Archer, no Cal, no Archer, no Cal.....

Teaser Tuesday: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

2012-02-07T00:01:00.017-06:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from Of Poseidon by Anna Banks! Published by Feiwel and Friends (an imprint of MacMillan), this fantastic book comes out 5/22/12. And let me tell you now... put this one on your wish list!

Emma and her friend Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange – is it attraction? – and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s heard of – a human who can communicate with fish.

What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t explain them, either – and both she and Galen must learn more about where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one another and their feelings.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"And I meet my threshold for embarrassment. Tripping is bad enough. Tripping into someone is much worse. But if that someone has a body that could make sculpted statues jealous-- and thinks you've broken your nose on one of his pecs-- well, that's when tripping runs a distant second to humane euthanasia." -pg. 5

"Emma, we don't have to kiss. She already knows I want to sleep with you." He cringes as soon as he says it. He doesn't have to look up to know the sizzling sound in the kitchen is from Rachel spitting her pineapple juice into the hot skillet. "What I mean is, I already told her I want to sleep with you. I mean, I told her I wanted to sleep with you because she already thinks I do. Want to, I mean--" If a Syrena could drown, this is what it would feel like." pg. 125

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Guys! This book!!! It is seriously addicting! It's humorous (I laughed hysterically at the line about breaking her nose on his pecs). And Galen, the male lead is quite swoon-worthy! And this book opens with a bang-- I promise it will catch your attention! :)

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

2012-02-06T00:01:00.000-06:00

The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green

Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany

The Sisters Say: Unforgettable. Unique. Unbelievable. Unputdownable.

I’ve let this book percolate in my mind for nearly a week, hoping I could find the words to do this book (and my experience of reading this book) justice. Time has passed, and the awe this book inspired has not diminished (and neither has my inability to find the words).

John Green is one of my favorite authors, and I’ll use another of my favorite author’s quotes to tell you a little bit of how I’m feeling…

"Sometimes you read a book so special that you want to carry it around with you for months after you've finished just to stay near it.” –Markus Zusak

There are books that you enjoy, books that entertain, even books that sweep you away.

And then there are books that leave you in such a tangle of feelings—joy, sadness, satisfaction, need—that you feel different for having read them. As a writer, these are usually the kinds of books that make me want to lock myself in a room and write for days on end in the hopes that I can one day put my name on just such a book.

The Fault in Our Stars is one of those books.

It has all the humor that we’ve come to love and expect from John Green’s work. I was so excited to see Green’s first female protagonist—and he definitely did not disappoint. Hazel is at once hysterical and hard as steel. She’ll make you think, make you laugh, make you want to rage at the world, and yes, probably make you cry. Here’s a little taste of her awesomeness:

“I told Augustus the broad outline of my miracle: diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer when I was thirteen. (I didn’t tell him that the diagnosis came three months after I got my first period. Like: Congratulations! You’re a woman. Now die.)”

Let me just get the whole cancer thing out of the way here—yes, Hazel has cancer. I know this will scare some of you away *cough* My sister Amy *cough*, but let me assure you that this is not a “cancer book.” Yes, people have cancer—quite a few of them do, in fact. But this story goes beyond that. It’s not about the disease, not really. It’s about life and death, and the myriad of places that fall between. I was afraid this would be one of those books that was so unbearably emotional that I might not get through it or that I’d have to read it in small doses. In fact, I devoured this book in less than a day. Sadness was only one small part of the story. There was just as much humor, just as much romance. This book was a lesson in balance—that’s the best way to say it I think. This book was PERFECTLY balanced.

Speaking of romance….

August.

I am hereby beginning my campaign to get Augustus Waters into this summer’s YA Crush Tourney. Contemp YA Characters were woefully underrepresented last year, and I think August could be the one to change that. THAT boy… he’s dreamy, and intelligent, and dorky, and gorgeous. More than that… he’s different. There’s a mystery to him that makes him even more attractive.

Need some evidence? Here you go:

“May I see you again?" he asked. There was an endearing nervousness in his voice.

I smiled. "Sure."

"Tomorrow?" he asked.

"Patience, grasshopper," I counseled. "You don't want to seem overeager.

"Right, that's why I said tomorrow," he said. "I want to see you again tonight. But I'm willing to wait all night and much of tomorrow." I rolled my eyes. "I'm serious," he said.

"You don't even know me," I said. I grabbed the book from the center console. "How about I call you when I finish this?"

"But you don't even have my phone number," he said.

"I strongly suspect you wrote it in this book."

He broke out into that goofy smile. "And you say we don't know each other.”

“I'm in love with you," he said quietly.

"Augustus," I said.

"I am," he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.”

*sigh*

Love him. Seriously.

I’m not sure what else to do besides urge you to read this book.

*UUUUURRRRRRGGGGGGGEEEEEEEE*

Consider yourself urged.

Let me recap for you real quick: Amazing book. Beyond Amazing. Sad—yes sometimes—but so MUCH MORE THAN THAT! NOT A CANCER BOOK! It’s a people book! It’s about people! Hilarious! Did I mention amazing? GO BUY IT NOW.

In the end, I think a direct quote from this book is the best way to describe it:

“You have a choice in this world, I believe, about how to tell sad stories, and we made the funny choice.”

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

2012-02-03T00:01:00.023-06:00

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck
On shelves now!
Published by: Splinter
Reviewed by: AmyG (big sis)
Sister's Say: A Valiant, Exotic, Epic-Fantasy

Passion. Fate. Loyalty.
Would you risk it all to change your destiny?
The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.
Tiger’s Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

I'm not even sure how to start this review because honestly, I'm still speechless, and frankly mad at myself for not reading this sooner. I've seen this book dozens of times in bookstores and have always thought, "oh, that looks good, I need to read that." However, for some reason I just never did. At least, I am on the bandwagon now though! Better late than never! If any of you are epic fantasy fans, then here is another series for you! I love Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, and Lord of the Rings. All of these have that feel of a hero on his quest, and the Tiger's Curse is no different. There are so many amazing qualities to this series thus far and all I've read is book 1!

Tiger's Curse is one of those few books that has the perfect balance of adventure and romance. Usually in fantasy, the adventure is overflowing and the romance is sparse. However, Tiger's Curse has both and has it abundantly! Some of the sweetest scenes I have ever read in YA lit are in this book! If you look up the definition of dreamy in the dictionary, you will find a picture of Ren! Sorry for that totally lame last statement, but it is so true. A Indian prince from centuries past, stepping into modern day times with the courtly manners of bowing and kissing hands had me swooning on every page. Trust me people, if you read this, you will be a melty puddle on the floor right along beside me. Who would want a vampire or werewolf when you can have a Tiger!?!

**************SLIGHT SPOILERS**************

I do have to mention one thing about Kelsey though. She does question why Ren would want to be with someone like her. I know that is totally normal for a teenage girl, but honestly I wanted to hit her on top of the head with this massive book! The book needs this struggle because it wouldn't be realistic to have a happily ever after from the first page, but I just wanted to yell at her to grab Ren and never-ever let him go!

**************END SPOILERS**************

Epic fantasies are what drew me to YA literature in the first place. There are so few out there that are truly in that EPIC category that there is a constant longing in my soul for more! There's only so many times I can reread Harry Potter, (Well, that's a lie, I can never read HP too many times!) From the moment Colleen started building her world my soul let out a huge sigh of relief. This is what I had been missing! In Tiger's Curse there is a dreaded curse that has plagued Ren and his brother for 300 years. Ren has been on a centuries long quest to break this curse. However, the curse is magically binding and it takes an amazing amount strength, bravery, intelligence, and a special chosen one to even have the chance of being able to break it. This is a saga about a hero on his voyage to save his own life and to win the heart of the woman he loves! This book is long, which is another reason for rejoicing! It's not a book I could skim through like I do a lot of the books I read. I had to read and read carefully because I wanted to break the curse right along side Ren and Kelsey. I can't remember the last time I felt this way, and I am alive with giddiness! It's like I am home again after being away for a long time!

We've seen London in Harry Potter, Middle Earth in Lord of the Rings and Narnia in Chronicles of Narnia. In Tiger's Curse it is India! I have never had a desire to go to India, but I do now. In Tiger's Curse, I took a trip to India and not the India that the tourists know, but the India of old that has been forgotten by most. An India sprinkled with hidden temples of ancient gods riddled with deadly traps that unless you are a Tiger, are unsurvivable. It was beautiful and exotic, and I can't wait to go back in Tiger's Quest.

I honestly must make myself stop right now! I want to save some of my other loves of this book for my upcoming reviews of the next books in the series. I will warn you that you better have the next book waiting for you because you are going to want to rip into as soon as you read the last page of Tiger's Curse! Guys, I really cannot tell you how excited I am about this series and how terrified I am to keep reading knowing that not all the books are released yet! It's one of the great things about series, but also the wait can be so unbelievably heart wrenching! It's fun and nourishing to my soul to have another series that reminds me so much of my first loves in literature! If you are like me and adore epic fantasies that make you think, cry, cheer, and become slightly obsessive then what the heck are you waiting for?!?! Go read this book!

Dark Days of Winter: Interview with Jodi Meadows

2012-02-02T00:01:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the YA Sisterhood and this leg of the DARK DAYS OF WINTER Tour, the BIGGEST Dark Days Tour yet! We're so excited to have Jodi Meadows on the blog, author of the recently released INCARNATE from Harper Collins. You all might be sick of hearing us talk about how much we love her, and INCARNATE, INCARNATE'S cover, and INCARNATE'S Book Trailer.... BUT TOO BAD! Because we're here to give this fantastic author and her book even more love! If you missed our review of INCARNATE, feel free to check it out now! And if you think we're biased, just check out one of more than 300 5-star reviews on Goodreads (and the book only came out Tuesday)!

You can stay up to date with all Dark Days news on the Pitch Dark Facebook page, including exclusive content features every Wednesday. You can also follow Dark Days on twitter here.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

So, since this is the BIGGEST Dark Days Tour ever... We've asked Jodi to reveal the answers to some BIG questions!

Who was your BIGGEST crush as a teen? (Mine was Kirk Cameron)

The love interest in whatever book I was reading. Mmm, fictional boys.

YAY! We're with you there! We loved fictional boys so much that we started a Tournament just to fangirl over them! :)

What is your BIGGEST regret or mistake?

I've made a lot of mistakes, but I try not to regret them. Every choice I've made -- good and bad -- has shaped who I am now. But the biggest mistakes . . . probably involve (non-fictional) boys and kissing.

Amy says Ditto. :) Brittany is proud to say she has very few boy/kissing related mistakes.

What is the BIGGEST secret you've kept from your parents?

Wait, is my mom reading this? No? Okay, mumblemumble years later, I still haven't told my mom about the times I drove off school campus during my free period so I could kiss my boyfriend. (Clearly real boys were a problem for me. Fictional boys were often better influences.)

Haha! As sisters, we definitely deal in secrets, too. Amy's biggest secret didn't stay hidden from our parent's long, thanks to me (Baby Sister Brittany). Hey-- what are little sisters for?

What is your BIGGEST joy or achievement to date?

Oh man, I have a lot of them! But in keeping with the theme of boys . . . marrying my husband. Who, by the way, is not made of fiction. Just so we're clear.

Congratulations-- on the marriage and the fact that he's real. :)

What was your BIGGEST hurdle or fear while writing or trying to get INCARNATE published?

The fear that no one would ever say yes, and that I'd never achieve my dream of sharing my stories with strangers.

Well... we're certainly glad that Harper Collins said yes, and you got to share your stories with us!

Which represents the BIGGEST challenge-- Dragons or Sylphs?

Tie! As the author, I can't commit to Team Sylph or Team Dragon. I love (and fear!) both of them equally.

Brittany is officially Team Dragon. Amy is Team Sylph. Ruh-roh. Sister Civil War.

Music is such a strong theme in INCARNATE, what or who is your BIGGEST musical obsession?

Currently, Snow Patrol, Ludovico Einaudi, Ólafur Arnalds -- wait, by biggest was I supposed to choose only one?

Well... since we've only heard of Snow Patrol, looks like we might be discovering some new artists!

What book has been the BIGGEST influence in your life thus far?

Oh there are SO many books that have affected my life, but coming down to it . . . probably WAIT TILL HELEN COMES by Mary Downing Hahn. My 7th grade English teacher read it to the class and that was the first time a) I realized writing was something people could do as a job, and b) the fantasy/paranormal/magic in books could be REAL, rather than explained away by SCIENCE.

We are big supporters of Fantasy being REALITY. We're still waiting for our Hogwarts letters.

And lastly...

What's the BIGGEST word in your vocabulary?

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

(That's totally a big word.) (If you drag it out for a full minute.) (You don't need to breathe, right?)

Just how long can you say Um without breathing? Amy's best was 33 seconds. Brittany's was only 15 seconds. For the record... she doesn't smoke. She has asthma. #excuses You all should see if you can beat 33 seconds! It's surprisingly fun!

And that's a wrap! A HUGE, erm, I mean-- BIG Thank you to Jodi for letting us interview her! And thanks to Harper Collins for allowing us to be a part of the Dark Days Tour! It's been amazing!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a Kippy*, and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut.

Be sure to check out the next stops on the Dark Days of Winter Tour.

Leg 2

2/7 Brodi Ashton at The Readiacs

2/9 Courtney Allison Moulton at Reading Teen

Leg 3

2/21 Lauren Oliver at All Things Urban Fantasy

2/22 Claudia Gray at A Life Bound By Books

2/23 Alex Flinn at Mundie Moms

2/28 Dan Wells at Bookalicious

3/1 Lauren Oliver at All Things Urban Fantasy

3/6 Claudia Gray at A Life Bound By Books

3/7 Alex Flinn at Mundie Moms

3/8 Dan Wells at Bookalicious

Leg 4

TK Jill Hathaway at Down the Rabbit Hole

TK Kimberly Derting at Confessions of a Bookaholic

And, catch the author tour at a city near you!

Leg 2

Cynthia Hand (HALLOWED), Brodi Ashton (EVERNEATH), Jodi Meadows (INCARNATE) and Courtney Allison Moulton (WINGS OF THE WICKED)

February 16^th @ 5pm | Barnes & Noble | Southlake, TX | A Good Addiction

February 17^th @ 7pm | Barnes & Noble | Austin, TX | Mundie Moms

February 18^th @ 4pm | Blue Willow Bookshop | Houston, TX | Once Upon a Twilight

Leg 3

Lauren Oliver (PANDEMONIUM), Claudia Gray (BALTHAZAR), and Dan Wells (PARTIALS)

March 9^th @ 6:30pm | Books & Books | Coral Gables, FL | Harmony's Radiant Reads

March 10^th @ 2pm | Barnes & Noble | Alpharetta, GA | TK

March 11^th @ 4pm | Vroman’s | Los Angeles, CA | TK

*LIVESTREAM event

Leg 4

Kimberly Derting (THE LAST ECHO), Jill Hathaway (SLIDE), and Dan Wells (PARTIALS)

April 18^th @ 7pm | Books & Co | Dayton, OH | TK

April 19^th @ 7pm | Anderson’s Bookshop | Naperville, IL | TK

April 20^th @ 7pm | Barnes & Noble | Burlington, MA | TK

Cover Reveal: Lucid by P.T. Michelle

2012-02-01T00:01:00.001-06:00

We are so excited to reveal the cover of P.T. Michelle's next book in her Brightest Kind of Darkness Series! Isn't it beautiful?!?!? I cannot wait until this book is released; I am still thinking of Nara and Ethan. Ethan is such a sexy mystery; I just want to know more about him. The official release date has not been set, but it will be sometime this Spring. If you haven't read Brightest Kind of Darkness yet, it is a definite must read! Click here to view my full review of the book.

Teaser Tuesday: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

2012-01-31T00:01:00.001-06:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spring was coming to life in St. Petersburg. Everything was starting to awaken out of the cold, sleeping earth. Including things that should have remained deep asleep.

Princess Cantacuzene had told me of the folk tales that said vampires rose out of the earth in the spring and stalked the living between those two holy days: St. George's Day in April and St. Andrew's Day in November. But I knew now that this was just a silly superstition. They stalked us all year round. (ARC p290)

As I was dancing in his arms, I realized that I had fallen in love with someone else. Someone who most likely hated me more than anyone else in the world did. I wanted to die. (ARC p262)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I just finished this fantastic book! It's so different from anything else I've read in YA fiction. If you're a fan of movies like Anastasia or Dr. Zhivago, you're gonna want to check this one out! Review coming soon!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

2012-01-30T00:01:00.001-06:00

Across the Universe

by Beth Revis

Reviewed by: Honorary Sis Beth

Sister Says: Captivating, Curious, and Cosmo-tastic

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules. Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next. Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming. (Summary from goodreads.com)

Over the past few months, this book kept showing up, haunting me, saying, "Read me". I was rebelling against reading it because I typically do not like science fiction and definitely do not like split narratives. But, as I kept seeing more and more people reading it on goodreads and hearing my friends talk about it, I broke down and read it. Let me just say, I am so glad that I did.

Although I am usually not a fan a split narratives, it not only works for this book, but also is definitely necessary. Throughout the book there are things that happen to Amy and Elder that can only be described in their own words. The most descriptive, difficult, and brilliant scene, in my opinion, is when Amy is being frozen. I literally felt like I was be suffocated. Also, Ms. Revis is able to so decisively articulate the differing ship-life norms for each character.

To be completely honest, I was rebelling against enjoying the book for the first 200 pages because I was bound and determine to prove to myself (and my husband) that, "I'm just not into science fiction". Although it took place in outerspace, I did not feel like it was too far out there. The final 250 pages, I read in one sitting and kept telling Matt to stop talking to me because this book is just so good.

The world will leave you thinking about how much do we trust history and our leaders and who controls all the information. The setting made me feel like I was claustrophobic and I could not help but relate to Amy wondering what in the world I would do if I was in that circumstance. The plot is utterly genius! It is a science fiction, murder mystery, romance that will keep you guessing until (literally) the last page.

The emotional roller coaster Across the Universe took me on left me grasping for the sequel. I'm so glad that I got over my prejudice and read this book. It totally opened my eyes and revamped my opinion of science fiction books.

One final thought, after reading this book, I told my husband to read it. He looked at the beautiful cover and said, "It looks like a chic book". But, after a little coaxing, he read it. He devoured it faster than I did. So, the great thing about this book is it appeals to both sexes and challenges traditional book genres. If you haven't read it yet, I would recommend putting it on your TBR list!

Buy it....Read it....Love it!!!!

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

2012-01-27T00:01:00.001-06:00

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Release date: January 24th, 2012
HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray
Reviewed by: AmyG (Big Sis)
Sister's Say: Enticing, Eloquent, and Eerily foreboding

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.
She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.
As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's... (-goodreads)

First off, I need to thank HarperCollins for sending me this gorgeous ARC. I've been eyeing if for months with that beautiful red dress surrounded by those spooky clouds. I would love to frame this book cover and hang it up on my wall! Who needs art when there are book covers like this out there!

Everneath isn't just a book with a pretty cover though. The writing, the imagery, and the characters make it as beautiful on the inside as the out. We at the YA-Sisterhood all share a deep love of Greek mythology. Call it having an English teacher as a mom or just a love of classical education, but throw in some Greek Mythology and it's hook, line, and sinker for us! Greek mythology has been slowly routing out a place for itself in YA literature, and I couldn't be more happy about it! Everneath is just the right amount of Greek mixed with just the the perfect touch of modernization!

The most profound thing about Evermeath was the imagery. Brodi Ashton has a way with words that brings the story to life. The tunnels, the shades, and the animation of the emotions were tangible. I can still close my eyes and see them as if I were actually Nikki. There is this scene at a dance in which the Everlings are feeding off the emotions of the crowd and all at once it was both horrifying and beautiful. Part of me wishes I could have actually seen it while the more sane part doesn't agree. From the opening pages to the last page Everneath oozes these fantastic images. They are hauntingly gorgeous and will leave you breathless and wanting more.

For those of you asking, "where's the romance?" Never fear, there is a love triangle to rival all love triangles! First off, there's Jack, the dreamy boy next door that encompasses everything that Nikki desires. On the other hand, there's Cole the epitamy of the broken bad boy that is oh so redeemable. While reading this book, I was sadly that "love the one you're with" girl. I cheered "Jack, Jack, Jack" during his scenes and "Cole, Cole, Cole" through his pages! Please don't make me choose! You will be hard pressed to find 2 more different characters with the same amount of dreaminess! I would love to see a showdown between Jack and Cole in the Crush Tourney with all cards laid on the table, and see who would come out the victor! Maybe that would help me choose! Umm, yeah, probably not!

Most of the time, I am not a fan of the disrupted or broken timeline that appears in Everneath, but it worked perfectly here. So much of the novel deals with time that the broken sequence of it, helped develop parallel emotions between the characters and the reader. Nikki's time slowly ticks away at the beginning, but as the book proceeds the time gaps get smaller and time slips by faster. I found my heart rate increasing and actually felt anxious for Nikki as time seemed to drain quickly away. This was actually a brilliant way to pace the novel! It was like watching the sand run out in an hourglass and there was absolutely nothing I can do to stop that last grain of sand from slipping to the bottom.

I cannot give this book or Brodi Ashton enough praise. Everneath needs to be on every YA lovers bookshelf, especially those that adore Greek Mythology. Brodi creates a story that at first seems familiar with the allusion to the Greek myths only to throw you for a complete loop. At the exact point that I thought I knew what was about to happen, she completely knocked me off my feet. Brilliant I tell you, brilliant! It's all the Greek mythology I love with twist of her own that left me completely speechless and crying on the floor with the knowledge that it will be a whole year before I can read book 2!

Unbreakable Love by Angela Carling and Giveaway

2012-01-26T00:01:00.003-06:00

Unbreakable Love
By: Angela Carling
Reviewed by: Sis-in-law Sarah
(Only $2.99 on kindle right now!)

Summary from goodreads.com

Jennie Townsend is unlucky in love, so she is immediately suspicious when a mysterious new student named Nate tries to gain her friendship. But there is something special about Nate, and in spite of her best efforts Jennie finds her feelings for the boy growing deeper every day.

In fact, Nate is more special than Jennie can even imagine. He is a guardian angel, sent to protect Jennie during a most dangerous time in her life. To do so, he must first become close to her – but not too close. The rules for Protectors warn against physical contact and strictly forbid falling in love. But the more time Nate spends with Jennie, the harder the rules are to follow. Will Nate be able to save Jennie from a premature end, or will his own emotions – and Jennie's – get in the way of completing the task for which he was specifically chosen?

With Unbreakable Love, Angela Carling has created a captivating story for young adult readers, with a refreshing twist on relationship issues. It is an ode to the magical power of true love, a tribute to belief in a benevolent higher power that watches over us and surrounds us every day of our lives.

Judging by the cover, I automatically thought this was a YA contemporary novel. However, this book actually has a really good blend of contemporary and paranormal. It explores the idea of guardian angels without going too crazy into the paranormal world, which I thought was something kind of new and refreshing. I suppose it made it a little more realistic, as if this actually could happen to you. So if paranormal seems a little far-fetched for you but you'd like to see what all the hype is about...this would be a good starter novel!

Nate is Jennie's guardian angel, sent to protect her in the most volatile season of her life. However, what the high hosts were thinking when they sent a hot angel dude down to protect a vulnerable teenage girl, I'll never know!!! See, the rule is as a guardian angel you can't touch your protectee and you most definitely CANNOT fall in love with them. Yet, Nate must somehow fit into Jennie's world...become her best friend...so that when the moment comes he can protect her from death. Unfortunately, the imminent attraction between Nate and Jennie puts everything at risk.

And Nate...definitely my favorite character in the book!!! I really loved how he, though a guardian angel, had very human emotions. I felt like I really got to know Nate, even more than I knew Jennie. His desire to do his job, knowing the end result if he didn't, yet at the same time not being able to control his feelings and wanting out of the assignment showed how honorable a man (or angel) he was. I definitely would love to have someone like Nate as my guardian angel!

This is a super-fast paced novel, which kind of bothered me at first, but it made for a quick, exciting read. It's one of those books that'll just take you a day (a weekend at the most) to devour. And plus, in a market where series and trilogies dominate, this is a stand alone novel. A definite plus when you're looking for that quick read in the midst of your crazy busy life!

Last of all, if you're looking for a clean read, put this one in your TBR pile. This awesome romance is completely satisfying without all the super-touchy-bare skin-feely scenes that are becoming so prominent in YA lit these days!

If you're wanting to check this book out, it's only $2.99 on kindle right now. Plus, we have an awesome giveaway from Acacia Publishing!!!! Thank you to Acacia for the awesome giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

2012-01-25T00:01:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore, Sequel to the amazing Graceling and Companion book to Fire.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past. Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I am so excited to tell you guys that I have BITTERBLUE in my hands RIGHT NOW!!!! I read GRACELING way back when it first hit the shelves, and adored it. I then devoured FIRE and loved it EVEN MORE than GRACELING. And I have been waiting so long for Kristin Cashore's next book. This was supposed to come out ages ago, but then there was some craziness, and then it got cancelled, and then picked up again, and now it's time is almost here! It's being published May 1st, 2012 by Dial Books (Penguin Young Readers), and I was lucky enough to snag a copy at the ALA Midwinter conference this past weekend. I just finished re-reading GRACELING last night to mentally prepare myself, and Bitterblue is next on my list! Can't wait to tell you all how amazing it is!

Exclusive Reveal: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows Trailer

2012-01-24T00:01:00.013-06:00

Today is a ~~BIG~~ HUGE, day! Right now, we at The YA Sisterhood are able to exclusively reveal the trailer of Jodi Meadow's Incarnate! It is gorgeous and encompasses the theme of the book perfectly! And, Incarnate will officially be released in exactly ONE week! That's right kids! Mark your calendars, bombard your bookstores, fight off the other buyers if necessary! You don't want to miss this! If you want to find out more about Incarnate, visit our Top 10 Reasons why you should read Incarnate, and be sure to check back on Feburary 2nd for our special Dark Days of Winter interview with Jodi Meadows.

Without further ado, here is the Incarnate Trailer:

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Available January 31st, 2012

Pulished by HarperCollins

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dark Days of Winter Blog Tour

2012-01-19T00:01:00.002-06:00

We are ecstatic to be hosting Jodi Meadows on HarperTeen's Dark Days of Winter Blog Tour. We have had our eyes on Incarnate from the moment we saw that it had sold on publisher's marketplace. Before we had even had a chance to read this book, we knew it would be a big one! Then they released the cover, and we were left in absolute awe of the sheer gorgeousness of it! Also, be sure to come back on February 2nd, where we will have a special interview with Jodi Meadows.

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
Published by: HarperCollins
Release Date: January 31, 2012

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Words cannot express my absolute joy of hosting THIS BOOK on the Dark Days Tour. From the turn of the first page there is something completely different and deeply inspiring about Incarnate. If you are looking for something completely different then pick up this book. Because of our love for this book a simple review would not do, so as you have seen with a few of our absolutely favorite books, we are going to do a top 10 list!

SO... here it is! Our TOP TEN FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT INCARNATE:

10. SETTING: The setting adds so much to the overall feel of the novel. It's frankly a creepy city in the shadow of an even creepier tower! All the houses and buildings look the same, and somehow they have all mananged to remain standing for 5,000 years. It has a very eery feeling, but I can't disregard this nagging feeling that there is something important about all the buildings. And, it may not be a good thing!

9. REINCARNATION: Yes, yes, we know what you are going to say that you've read an reincarnation story, BUT let me tell you that Jodi has completely reinvented reincarnation. How about being able to remember every single life for the past 5000 years. Plus, never knowing if you are going to come back as a female or a male. And, what if you are in love with a person, and you both come back as the same sex or you come back years apart? Let me tell you, total crazy awesomeness! I loved this idea! I could sit here and think of hundreds of evil scenarios that Jodi could put her characters through! So great!

8. SYLPHS: We all know that the YA World is a bit tired of the traditional mythological creatures. "Why Hello there, Vampire. Nice to see you... again. And again. Oh, what? You brought a werewolf along? How... obvious." It was so refreshing to see Meadows take this more obscure Mythological creature that controls air, and give it a prominent place in her story. And on top of that... the burning that a sylph attack causes was a fresh twist on the original myth!

7. GENRE: We're not sure if genre is the right word, but this book definitely has a different feel than any other YA book on the market at the moment. It feels a bit like a futuristic sci-fi, but at the same time has elements that feel Medieval. High Fantasy meets Science Fiction meets Religion and Reincarnation-- you can't get more unique than that!

6. MUSIC: We would be remiss if we didn't mention the music! The whole book reads like one long beautiful symphony. And, the grande piano is to die for! Even though we can't hear the music, the scenes in which Sam and Ana play are so vivid that I can imagine the melody all the same!

5. DEPTH: Unlike some YA books (though I love all kinds), Incarnate had a philosophical depth that is too often missing in young adult fiction. Yes, there was action and romance and fantasy, but there was also a deeper sense of meaning and questioning that made this book linger in my mind long after I'd read it.

4. THE MASQUERADE: Guys. I'm not sure how to tell you how much I loved the scene at the masquerade ball without telling you what happens, but I will say that my heart was beating a mile a minute from beginning to end!

3. DRAGONS: I can never say no to Dragons. They are SO cool!

2. THE WRITING: Meadows writing has a lyrical, poetic feel that goes beyond simple description, and instead engages the senses and the mind to build a world that is at once fully realized and mysterious. In other words, girl's got skills. :)

1. THE ROMANCE!!! Holy meltiness, Batman, the slow-paced, realistic romance was breathtaking. We loved that the romance didn't happen at warp speed. Don't let that run you off though, Sam and Anna's relationship is sweet and deep. Anna has never been around anyone besides her mother for her entire life, so everything she is experiencing is for the first time. And, Sam gets to be her teacher! To see her experience and learn so many things with Sam is like one of those romantic musical montages in movies that leave you sighing! With this slow build to the romance, comes what I LOVE in my books-- the yearning, the questioning, and the longing! The torment of the does-he- doesn't-he-love-me kind is the best kind of torment!

That's it, our top 10 favorite things about Incarnate! Well, what are you waiting for, GO PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK!!!

Be sure to visit the other blogs on the Dark Days Blog Tour!

Leg 1

1/4 Tahereh Mafi at Reading Vacation

1/5 Ellen Schreiber at I Read Banned Books

1/6 Veronica Rossi at Supernatural Snark

1/9 Tahereh Mafi at Reading Vacation

1/10 Ellen Schreiber at I Read Banned Books

1/11 Veronica Rossi at Supernatural Snark

Leg 2

1/16 Cynthia Hand at The Story Siren

1/19 Jodi Meadows at The YA Sisterhood

1/24 Brodi Ashton at The Readiacs

1/26 Courtney Allison Moulton at Reading Teen

1/31 Cynthia Hand at The Story Siren

2/2 Jodi Meadows at The YA Sisterhood

2/7 Brodi Ashton at The Readiacs

2/9 Courtney Allison Moulton at Reading Teen

Leg 3

2/21 Lauren Oliver at All Things Urban Fantasy

2/22 Claudia Gray at A Life Bound By Books

2/23 Alex Flinn at Mundie Moms

2/28 Dan Wells at Bookalicious

3/1 Lauren Oliver at All Things Urban Fantasy

3/6 Claudia Gray at A Life Bound By Books

3/7 Alex Flinn at Mundie Moms

3/8 Dan Wells at Bookalicious

Waiting on Wednesday: Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls #5) by Ally Carter

2012-01-18T00:01:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is: Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter, book # 5 in the Gallagher Girls Series.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan--an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Guys. In case I haven't mentioned it. I LOVE THE GALLAGHER GIRLS BOOKS. In fact.... I want to BE A GALLAGHER GIRL. So bad. SO BAD. I read these books for the first time almost two years ago, and was so swept away in Cammie's spy world that I actually followed random people on the street just to see if I could pull it off. Crazy, I know. But then I made a friend do it, and she did the exact same thing! These books are witty, exciting, and just plain addicting! I can't wait for the next installment!

Teaser Tuesday: Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

2012-01-17T12:14:00.001-06:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My 1st teaser is from the book, and the 2nd teaser is a special tweet from Colleen Houck from Ren's POV during a certain scene in Tiger's Curse! Enjoy!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Why does everything so bad for you always taste so dreamy?

I wrapped the unyielding woman I loved in my arms and kissed her slowly, hoping that some part of her would sense by absolute devotion.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

There you go!!! I dare you to not go read this book right now after reading those teasers!!!

Tournament of Heroines Blogemony!

2012-01-14T00:47:00.000-06:00

First off, we would like to thank all of our amazing advocates for the YA Sisterhood Tournament of Heroines. They truly never cease to amaze us with their dedication, their love and their energy! We are so incredibly blessed with an amazing group of bloggers! We’d also like to thank all the authors who helped make the tournament such a success. We wouldn't even be having these tournaments if it wasn't for you! And lastly, we must thank all of you, who voted, tweeted, and supported your favorite characters. You guys were the blood, sweat, and tears of this tourney!

We’ll start by congratulating the advocate who took her character all the way to the end—Valerie from StuckinBooks! You did an excellent job representing, Clary Fray! Every match was a new surprise! We never knew who we were going to hear from! It was so fun!

Coming in second was Avery from Avery’s Book Nook! Avery did a fantastic job defending Tessa, all the way to the finals! And who can forget that trailer she had in her post! We will not disclose how many times we watched it, only once, I promise! ;)

These other amazing advocates fought long and hard to get their girls into the Extraordinary Eight:

Penelope from Reading Fever (representing Katniss) Penelope was an amazing advocate for Katniss! Just like Katniss, she was lighting twitter and all the Hunger Games fansites on fire promoting her girl!!!

Jen from Unedited (representing Hermione) Jen was seriously the perfect fit for Hermione! Jen really is one of the brightest bloggers of her age! (actually all ages) She even pulled out all the stops with her sexy pics of Ryan Gosling and her debut as a YouTube star!

Momo from Books Over Boys (representing Alex) Holy smokes, Batman! What can we say about Momo! She is a force to be reckoned with. With her and Alex on the same team, not many daimons or heriones for that matter stood a chance! She was a fearless leader of the Half-Blood Legion!

Amanda from Letters Inside Out (representing Izzy) Amanda was another Cassie Clare girl that shared her love of The Mortal Instruments with the world. She lead Izzy who isn't even the main character of her series all the way to the Extraordinary Eight! She was an Extraordinary Advocate!

Anna from The Bursting Bookshelf (representing Meghan) Anna the awesome was representing Meghan! Her post was beautiful and made us want to go reread all the Iron Fey books all over again! Not to mention, having Ash and Puck on her team! Who could refuse?!?!

Julie from My Five Monkeys (representing Tris) Julie was Dauntless in defending Tris! She was on Twitter fighting for her girl all hours of the day and night in all of her matches!!! And she had Four on her side, which makes it a side that we are more than willing to be on!

There were, of course, many fantastic advocates who did not make the top eight. This tournament all the advocates blew us away! Seriously, all of them went above and beyond everything, and there is not possible way for us to pick any extra awards without picking an award for all the advocates! So, because of that...every advocate will receive some token of our appreciation—be it books, ebooks, or some awesome swag.

Many have graciously offered to donate prizes to reward the advocates who took part in the tourney. We've gotten in some great things so far, with more scheduled to come. This is who has donated so far: Spencer Hill Press, HarperCollins, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Amy Plum, Jeri Smith-Ready, Julie Kagawa, Taryn Browning, Myra McEntire, Mindy @ Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, Amber and Stacey @ Pageturners, and Julie @ My 5 Monkeys.

We’ll be in touch with our awesome advocates soon to tell you what you’ve won!