Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

I am back from NYC and had a blast attending BEA. Look for my posts starting on Tuesday! I am still exhausted (having not slept yet after being on a bus all night), nor have I downloaded pictures or anything like that. Hoping to get caught up tomorrow after a good sleep.

There are a few things I wanted to highlight and with that -

Here are my obsessions this week:

BOOKS

New cover for Shatter Me

My jaw dropped. That's how amazing this is. I love the new covers, and hope the rest of the series has similar covers. I like it so much better than the original cover!

OTHER

Girls Only Night

My friends and I are planning on going to see Magic Mike at the end of the month. We figured we'd make a full girls only night out of it and go have a Bellini before the movie. I am so very excited to hang out with everyone, and the hot guys in Magic Mike are icing on the cake!

So what you are obsessed with this week?

Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Timepiece by Myra McEntire
Release Date –  June 12, 2012
Publisher Website –  Egmont USA
Publisher Social Media -  Twitter
Pages -  336 pages
My Rating- 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher/Netgalley**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking... 

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong? 

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.  

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough... 

The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.

Intense. Funny. Page Turner. These are just some of the words I could use to describe Timepiece by Myra McEntire. This follow up to Hourglass takes place shortly after Hourglass ends and sends Emerson, Michael and the rest on a whirlwind race to prevent a disastrous outcome to a stacked ultimatum.

Fans of Myra’s writing in the first novel will be happy to hear that it’s just as great in Timepiece. She’s created an engrossing novel that is a rather quick read. It feels very polished and follows really well from chapter to chapter. The use of small cliffhangers at the end of the chapters made me eager to keep turning the pages.

The story is entirely from Kaleb’s point of view. I fell for his charm, quick wit, and was delighted to find much more to his character. His self assured attitude hides a lot, and it was nice getting to see things from his perspective. I found myself chuckling at a lot of things Kaleb thought, even though there is sadness to him that we get to glimpse under the bravado. This may not have come through without his perspective. I loved his banter with Lily (Emerson’s friend). They play off each other, and the sparks between them make sense. I fully enjoyed getting to learn more about Lily, and seeing her become a larger part of the story.

I didn’t find myself missing Emerson as much as I expected to. She and Michael are still very much a part of this story. Getting to see Michael and Emerson thorough Kaleb’s point of view was interesting. I liked getting to see their connection and actions through the perspective of someone else. It provided an outlook I didn’t think we’d get as I expected the novels to continue with Emerson’s point of view.

It sometimes feels like, with series, that a two book plot is being dragged out to make three. Timepiece avoids this issue. In book one we are introduced to the inner workings of Hourglass, and the complexities of time travel and its repercussions. In Timepiece we are shown that this world is much larger, has more depth, and is more calculated that we could have imagined. The mythology evolved and I was so glad to learn some of the character’s secrets.

With the introduction of the Infinityglass Myra has created a mythology that easily lends itself to more novels in this series. The story is just beginning, the stakes are about to get higher, and time is ticking on our beloved characters. I am looking forward to getting to know whoever narrates the next installment and hope to love them as much as I ended up loving Kaleb.

Waiting on Wednesday.....Mystic City

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pick this week is Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

For fans of Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided. A political rebellion ignited. A love that was meant to last forever.

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

I love the sound of this. The whole marriage to the enemy family thing sounds like Romeo and Juliet to me. Add in Hunter and we have a love triangle that hopefully will not disappoint. I love the cover of this as well. I hope it's as romantic, and action packed as I am thinking it will be.

Expected release date - October 9, 2012

Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown
Release Date –  June 12, 2012
Publisher Website –  Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publisher Social Media -  Twitter
Pages -  303 pages
My Rating- 3.5/5
**provided from Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

Lies Beneath has one of the best first chapters I can remember reading in a long time. Seriously. Chapter one Calder is telling us exactly what he does to humans and it chilled me like the cold waters of Lake Superior. It set up a darker, more sinister mere lore than I was expecting. I was quite excited after that chapter, but sadly the novel overall didn’t wow me.

There are a lot of really great aspects to the novel. The mythology being the biggest. I loved the sinister and malicious intent these mermaids had. The darker theme was perfect for these creatures. Drowning is a real fear of mine and having these seductive mere folk absorb your energy while having you at the bottom of the ocean is scary. Calder’s sisters were especially vicious and cold. They looked at humans as things to play with and discard.

The writing itself flows very well and is immensely readable. The pacing was great. You’ll finish the novel rather quickly and it is rather short. This may actually be a negative though. I didn’t feel the mythology was developed as much as it could be. The book could have been a little longer if only to gain more insight into the underwater workings.

The vengeance part of the story was well flushed out. Calder’s inner struggle with doing what he has longed to do to avenge his mother, and doing what now feels right to him is not only well expressed, but relatable. We all rebel against our families at some point or another.

I was not a huge fan of Lily, or the instant love between her and Calder. It was not a gradual thing, and for Calder to turn his back on what has been a driving force for him for a long time didn’t feel true to me. I wish it had been more gradual. I didn’t really feel we got to know any of the characters except for Calder. Lily, Calder’s sisters all remained very surface characters for me. A hightlight for Lily’s character though was her reaction when finding out what Calder was. It was a reaction that you would expect.

Overall I did enjoy Lies Beneath and appreciated the darker tone of the novel. I debated giving this one a 3.5 or a 4 star rating. There are things I loved, and things I wished would have worked a little different.

From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas

From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas
Release Date – May 15, 2012
Publisher Website –  Hyperion/Hachette Canada
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  462 pages
My Rating- 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

KYLIE: Tijuana WHAT? I should be putting the finishing touches on my valedictorian speech. Graduation is TODAY, and is this a wedding band on my finger.

MAX: It all started with Kylie's laptop and a truck full of stolen electronics Okay, it was kind of hot, the way she broke us out like some chick in an action movie. But now we're stranded in TIjuana. WIth less than twenty-four hours before graduation. Awesome.

WILL: Saving Kylie Flores from herself is kind of a full-time occupation. Luckily, I, Will Bixby, was born for the job. And when I found out she was stuck in Mexico with dreamy Max Langston, sure, I agreed to bring thier passports across the border--but there's no reason to rush back home right away. This party is just getting started.

LILY: I just walked in on my boyfriend, Max Langston, canoodling with Kylie Flores, freak of the century. Still, I can't completely hold it against him. He NEEDS me. It's even clearer now. And I'm not giving him up without a fight

Kylie wakes up in Mexico with only vague recollections of the night before. In bed beside her? School hottie Max. That alone is enough to cause Kylie to freak out. Even more shocking to Kylie is the wedding ring on her finger. So begins this fun, twisty, often surprising tale of one last adventure before graduation. I went into this expecting a funny novel that would be more on par with The Hangover movies. However, this novel is a touching story of living life to the fullest, taking chances, and following your heart.

We get quite a few points of view in this novel. Kylie, Max, Will, Lily and Kylie’s brother Jake all take turns narrating the story. This provides the unique perspective of letting us know what is going on outside of Kylie and Max’s journey. This many narrator switches seems like it would be hard to pull off, but it really works for this novel.

Kylie is this hot tempered, driven, fun, amazing girl. Sadly, she doesn’t realize this. She withdraws from everything, and doesn’t open herself up. She has put her own life on hold to help with her autistic brother and a family that needs to communicate more.

Will Bixby is Kylie’s best friend. An out and proud gay teenager who is learning to see past the front he puts on, and reinventing himself. He does things for shock value, and provided much of the comedic parts to the story. I enjoyed Will immensely. His relationship with Kylie was great. They are both there for each other no matter what.

Max, the golden boy of the high school. The type of boy that would be Prom King. Kylie and he barely know each other before getting caught up in getting Kylie’s laptop back. At first I figure he was going to be someone I didn’t like, I didn’t see much depth to him. He actually annoyed me at first. As Kylie gets to know him better, and fall for him so did I. He showed his good qualities as they progressed on their journey.

Movies are a huge part of this novel. Kylie and Will are both movie fanatics and routinely quote from them. Kylie's chosen career involves scriptwriting. Even the chapters start with movie quotes. As a huge movie fan myself I loved this. The novel quotes Pump Up The Volume, Mean Girls, Scream and many others. This whole novel actually reminded me of a movie. One of those John Hughes teen comedies that are timeless and resonate with everyone. It had romance, action, off beat characters, and implausible situations.It's totally one of those summer movies that you watch while eating popcorn and just have fun during. If I had to chose one word to describe From What I Remember it would definitely be fun.

You'll fall in love with the quaint Mexican town they visit, the characters and most of all you'll be reminded that “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”. Bonus points if you know where that quote is from!*

*Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

I had a pretty busy book week. I got some fantastic titles and other goodies.

For review

Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel (goodreads)
Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson (goodreads)
Meant To Be by Lauren Morrill (goodreads)

I enjoyed Dearly, Departed so much so I am freaking excited to start this one! Meant to Be is all about cuteness and London and swooning so I am looking forward to it. Flirting in Italian = cute Italian boys hopefully so perfect for the summer. VERY EXCITED!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Random House for these titles.

From the library

Isle of Night by Veronica Wolff (goodreads)

The Academie by Susanne Dunlap (goodreads)

I was very happy to find both of these in my library! Hoping to get started on them very soon.

A huge thank you to Elizabeth Richards who sent me some signed (and so pretty) Black City bookmarks!

Happy Sunday and Happy Reading!

Book Expo Here I Come! Weekly Obsessions!

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Here are my obsessions this week:

Starting off my weekly obsessions with my Book Expo America info and letting you all know what will be happening on the blog during the week while I am gone.

Not only do I have BEA itself to look forward to but there are other events and signings going on in the city at the same time. Teen Author Carnival is one I am planning on going to, and possibly a signing Monday night.

I am leaving Sunday night and will be gone most of the week. I have reviews and such scheduled while I am away.

Next week on the blog looks like this:

Monday June 4 - review of From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas
Tuesday June 5 - review of Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown
Wednesday June 6 - Waiting on Wednesday post
Thursday June 7 - review of Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Hopefully they all post as scheduled.

Now moving on to the weekly obsessions

BOOKS

Title for Masque of the Red Death sequel

Novel Novice revealed the title for the Masque of the Red Death sequel! I am super excited by this and the title is perfect

Dance of the Red Death

DYING! I want this book. Immediately would be awesome. I am hoping for dancing, and lots of kissing. Especially if it involves Will.

cover for Let The Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

This cover is in the running for prettiest cover of 2012. It's romantic and soft, and I love it. Based on the Goodreads synopsis it seems like a perfect fit. 

OTHER

Teen Author Carnival panels


All the panels sound AMAZING! I have selected the two I am going to attend.

My first panel is going to be - "Is this the real life? Or is this just fantasy?" and my second panel is all about the boys with "Where have you been all my life? (Let's talk boys)" If you are curious about the other panels (or what fantastic authors are on the panels I am attending) visit the Teen Author Carnival Tumblr.

Have a great week everyone. I can not wait to see what I missed while away.

So what you are obsessed with this week?