New Books On My Shelf #66

I couldn't resist to order a few books in the past week and I'm saving MOONGLASS and THE BOOK OF BROKEN HEARTS for my vacation. SIEGE AND STORM will probably be my next read and the two netgalley copies of course.

Brooklyn Girls by Gemma Burgess (Netgalley)

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill (Netgalley)

Golden by Jessi Kirby (Bought- read)

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler (Bought)

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby (Bought)

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (Bought)

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (Bought)

If I Should Die by Amy Plum (Won - big thanks to Amy Plum for sending me a signed copy + signed swag!!) 

Book Review: Dead Silence (The Body Finder #4) by Kimberly Derting

Title: Dead Silence (The Body Finder #4)
Author: Kimberly Derting
Publisher: Headline
Publishing Date: April 16th 2013
Length: 400 pages
Keywords: YA, fiction, mystery, thriller, romance, murder
Source: Publisher

Violet thought she’d made peace with her unique ability to sense the echoes of the dead and the imprints that cling to their killers…that is until she acquired an imprint of her own. Forced to carry a reminder of the horrible events of her kidnapping, Violet is more determined than ever to lead a normal life. However, the people who run the special investigative team Violet works for have no intention of letting her go.

When someone close to Violet becomes a suspect in a horrific murder, she finds herself pulled into a deadly hunt for a madman with an army of devoted followers. Violet has survived dangerous situations before, but she quickly discovers that protecting those closest to her is far more difficult than protecting herself.

Summary by Goodreads 

Read the prologue of DEAD SILENCE and tell me you are not feeling a compulsive need to finish this book in one sitting, for this prologue is a very scary and unsettling start to the story. Things are feeling more urgent and dangerous than before, because now one of Violet's friends is on the culprit's radar. Pick up the fourth THE BODY FINDER novel and risk another sleepless night spent reading.

As seen in the three previous books, the chapters of Violet's perspective are again complemented with chapters from the murderer's perspective. And this one's a tough case of wicked evil mind with scary and insane issues.

Every single one of Violet's murder cases has been thrilling so far. And I was equally entranced and repulsed by the vile and violent case Kimberly Derting envisioned in DEAD SILENCE. The new killer could be even more disturbing than others before him, expect a few very gruesome details.

DEAD SILENCE shows us another side of Violet, a new courage to trust the ones around her with her secrets. I liked that Violet opened herself a bit to her friends and Jay, too. Still her senseless way to dash off and hunt the killer on her own made me want to shake her more than once. The romantic aspect of DEAD SILENCE wasn't as strong as in DESIRES OF THE DEAD or THE BODY FINDER. I mean Jay was as sweet and swoon-worthy as ever, but there just wasn't that much space for Violet and Jay to spend alone-time together as a couple or further develop their relationship.

As the romance is definitely not the focus of this book, now the mysterious Center is observed more closely. Violet discoveres old journals from her grandmother and we will learn more about her experiences, her ability to sense the dead and what it was like to live with it a few decades ago.

Rafe, Sara and the Team of other specially gifted teens will be back, too. But the main focus isn't on them solving cases together, it's more a personal story of Violet finding out more about her grandmother's life and about Violet's personal posture towards the Center and her own involvement in solving the murder cases.

I was as content with DEAD SILENCE as I was with the other books, but if this is truly the ending to the whole series…SO NOT ACCEPTED! Kimberly Derting can’t just leave it at that, with questions unanswered and the future uncertain. The ending felt just like the ending of a book in a series, not of an entire series. I can't imagine a Top 2014 list without a new BODY FINDER title on it!

1) of probably the most wicked murder case in this series
2) of the cutest turtle
3) family history is important
4) of a beach that requires boys to take off their shirts
5) of learning to trust and let others in on the secret that's your life

4/5 **** DEAD SILENCE – A twisted murder case that will be calling dibs on your reading time and won't let you rest for a second, until it's solved! 

Kimberly Derting's fourth THE BODY FINDER installment introduces us to a new stage of awareness of Vilolet's world, filled with imprints and echoes. Minor shortcomings romance-wise and the lack of an ENDING ending are compensated by Kimberly's writing that's as engaging as in the previous THE BODY FINDER books.

THE TAKING is a novel I'll be looking forward to read in 2014 then, but I'm still hoping, wishing, pining for another THE BODY FINDER book. Who would believe that Violet would ever stop getting involved with echoes and crimes, huh?

* If you liked the THE BODY FINDER series, you could also enjoy THE PLEDGE.

* Read an extract of DEAD SILENCE here.

* Click here to watch the DEAD SILENCE book trailer.

* For further information about Kimberly Derting and her books visit www.kimberlyderting.com

* Thanks to Sam and Headline for sending me a copy of DEAD SILENCE for review!

Book Review: The Impossibility of Tomorrow (Incarnation #2) by Avery Williams

Title: The Impossibility of Tomorrow (Incarnation #2)

Author: Avery Williams

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Publishing Date: July 4th 2013

Length: 375 pages

Keywords: YA fiction, incarnation, romance, thriller

Source: Publisher

The immortal Seraphina is forced to face the darkness of her past—and risk losing the love of her life—in this second novel in the Incarnation series.

Seraphina has been living for centuries, thanks to a special method of alchemy, but only recently has she really felt alive. She’s finally broken free from her controlling boyfriend, Cyrus, and after years of swapping bodies to preserve her immortality, is happily settled into a life worth sticking with. Because in this life, she has Noah.

But Noah might not be as trustworthy as he seems. After he delivers an ominous message that could only come from Cyrus, Sera is worried that her new friends and family will find out her secret. And as her suspicions extend beyond Noah, Sera is forced to wonder about her new friends as well: Could her old coven be disguising themselves right under her nose?

Will Sera have to move to another body—and take another life—or can she find a way to keep what she’s got, forever?

Summary by Goodreads 

After the cliffhanger THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER ended with I couldn't wait to read its sequel. Believe me, if you have the chance, you want to read the two INCARNATION books back to back because they both are so unbelievably irresistible. I was surprised and elated to find out the second book had about one hundred pages more than the first which guaranteed so much more freaskishly frightening reading fun.

Incarnates are souls that have lived for centuries. They possess the ability to take over the body of any human being they come near enough to do the transfer. Sera was one of them once, but not anymore. In THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER she left her coven and her possessive boyfriend Cyrus for good and took over one last body on her escape. And with it the life of sixteen-year-old Kailey. She goes to school, hangs out with her friends and falls in love with Noah.

It should all be about the undying love between Cyrus and Seraphina, who met hundreds of years ago and have been together for almost all of their immortal lives. Rudely phrased, Cyrus is a jerk that has lived way too long to be granted another chance in life. So it's only fair that Sera was lucky enough to begin a new life on her own and that she found Noah.

And the sweetness that's Noah, her boyfriend from next door! You won't be able to resist him. Sera and Noah's love story is an epic one.

Sera is such a kind soul. She's lived all these different lives and has been to so many different places all over the world, still it seems this new life as Kailey is an entirely new thing to her. She's never felt so accepted and loved before and you can't but be happy for her. Now Sera has to deal with all the problems Kailey left behind and get to know the people who were important to the mysterious teenage girl that was Kailey.

The alchemy part and the power to transfer your soul into another body still fascinated me so much. But the fact that every time a new body was possessed, the person would die and the old body disintegrate to dust scared me pretty much. So a new murder case was caused every time Cyrus, the crazy immortal stalker ex of Sera, changed bodies. He sure leaves a path of death on his mission to find Sera's new body.

Not knowing whose body Cyrus would have possessed by then, was creepy. It was like a very elaborate game of hide and seek. You automatically suspected everyone around Sera who acted

strange. I started analysing every sentence and motif. And these little hints and threats Cyrus leaves all around town? The game he's playing couldn't be more terrifying.

Also, how dare Cyrus endanger Sera and Noah's future together? You just want to kick him and rip him apart for the dread and fear he puts into Sera and thereby sabotages Sera and Noah's relationship at some point. You sabotage their relationship and you have to report to me!

You know I loved THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER very much (read my review here), so you also know what it means when I say that THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW was even better than the first book. How is that even possible? Avery Williams doubled the package of awesomeness she installed in her first INCARNATION book. She added some more mystery, thriller. Plus the romance is something to be eternally enarmored with. Avery Williams always keeps the story exciting. You never know what comes next and especially who or what is waiting around the next corner. Love or death.

Sera's story doesn't find a complete wrap-up in this sequel, so it's only natural I have the hugest hope for a sequel to follow THE IMPOSSIBLITY OF TOMORROW!

1) of a seriously thrilling hide and seek

2) of a new life

3) of stary night skies above glasshouses

4) of intimate souls

5) of the one and only unicorn hotline

5/5 ***** THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW – The most astounding and thrilling game of hide and seek. This is a YA love like no other!

There's no chance you'll get around this stunning sequel to THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER! Avery Williams spun an elaborate and magnificient story around the essence of souls, incarnation and alchemy and gifted readers with one of the most adoring and timeless love stories of YA. But never fear thrill-seekers, Sera's ex Cyrus has never been more dangerous and unpredictable than in THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW. This is a read for your mind, heart and soul!

* Have you read THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER, the first book in the INCARNATION series?

* Read an excerpt of THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER here. 

* Click here to watch the book trailer of THE ALCHEMY OF FOREVER.

* Click here to learn more about the characters of the series. 

* Thanks to Kat and Simon & Schuster UK for sending me a copy of THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW for review!

New Books On My Shelf #65

Another bunch of books from my wishlist. I bought most of them and got THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW for review (loved it). Couldn't wait to read SWEET PERIL either. I just had to move it up my TBR pile and it was SO GOOD!

Of Triton by Anna Banks (Bought- currently reading)
Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins( Bought-read)
The Diviners by Libba Bray (Bought)

The moon and more by Sarah Dessen (Bought)
The Impossibility of Tomorrow by Avery Williams (For Review - read. Thanks to Sion & Schuster UK. REALLY loved it!)

Giveaway: ARC of Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski + Swag

This is your chance to win an ARC of FAMOUS LAST WORDS by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski and with it the perfect read for your summer vacation. Last month I did a Q&A with Jen and she also wrote a guest post about road trips. I loved her debut novel, HOW MY SUMMER WENT UP IN FLAMES. You can read my review here. My review of FAMOUS LAST WORDS will be up here closer around its pub date in July.

Sixteen-year-old Samantha D’Angelo has death on the brain. Her summer internship at the local newspaper has her writing obituaries instead of soaking up the sun at the beach. Between Shelby, Sam’s boy-crazy best friend; her boss Harry, a true-blue newspaper man; and AJ, her fellow “intern scum” (aka the cute drummer for a band called Love Gas), Sam has her hands full. But once she figures out what—or who—is the best part of her summer, will she mess it all up?

As Sam learns her way around both the news room and the real world, she starts to make some momentous realizations about politics, ethics, her family, romance, and most important—herself.

Summary by Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* You enter for a chance to win my ARC of Famous Last Words + Swag
* INTERNATIONAL
* The giveaway starts on June 5th and will end on June 30th
* Enter the rafflecopter form!
* Good luck :)

Book Review: The Elite & Mini Review of The Selection by Kiera Cass

Title: The Elite (The Selection #2)

Author: Kiera Cass

Publisher: Harper Collins Childrens Books

Publishing Date: April 23^rd 2013

Length: 323 pages

Keywords: YA fiction, romance, dystopian, competition, rebellion, monarchy

Source: Publisher

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Summary by Goodreads 

THE ELITE continues the contest for Prince Maxon's heart with six girls left in the race. The remaining girls in the palace are Celeste, Natalie, Elise, Kriss, Marlee and America and there will be many challenges and public interviews to learn more about each girl, her feelings for Maxon and her strategy to outshine the other girls. Don't only imagine tiaras and smiles, these girls can bite.

This sequel to THE SELECTION more or less follows a resembling scheme as Kiera's debut. Like the first book THE ELITE was a quick read. Towards the end the story even took a really surprising and welcome turn. One turn of events that I felt especially content with, because it added a new spin to the story and would open up many new perspectives for THE ONE. That Kiera Cass didn't strictly follow this new lead and made a backtrack in the end, left me a bit sour though. Of course now I'm hoping for THE ONE to be more offensive and present us with an even more curageous America than we've met in this book.

There was a nagging feeling, a constant suspicion I couldn't explain, about Maxon and the entire royal family that something wasn't quite right about them and the entire competition. One thing is for sure, the royals are even more conniving than any real girls of a competition could ever be. Don't expect them to be as helpless as you first thought.

The caste system is a thorn in every democratically-oriented reader's side. It's no wonder the resistance is growing steadily and it's acting more violently with each passing week. The rebels, North and South are agressive and the need to protect the girls and the royal family becomes more urgent. They start attacks that are extremely dangerous for everyone involved. Their movement and goals aren't transparent at all which poses as quite interesting since we've always supported the rebels' side in recent YA dystopians. I haven't read any other dystopian from the non rebels' perspective.

America becomes stronger, too and – I wouldn't have thought possible- even more emotionally confused than in the first book. But why has America to be so volatile? Things about Maxon's past are revealed that even I as a Team Aspen girl, couldn't but thaw a bit. But this love triangle is slowly starting to get on my nerves.
I am wondering if there can't be a trilogy with a love triangle, with the girl deciding whom she wants to be with in the second book so that we can actually enjoy a final couple interacting and growing together in the third book. That would be refreshing wouldn't it? America doesn't make that longed for final decision in THE ELITE, so we'll have to wait for THE ONE to find out what's in her heart and even more important how Kiera Cass intends to uproot the entire caste system and bring the resistance back in full force. I'll be awaiting THE ONE with high expectations.

1) of fortifying alliances and devious enemies

2) of uncovering the past

3) of royal party planning fun

4) of an unexpected turn of events

5) of stolen kisses

3,5/5 ***/* THE ELITE – Less fairy tale and more rebellious and combative than any real princess comptetion could ever be.

THE ELITE didn't send up as many sparks as THE SELECTION, because a more serious component is added to the story. The shiny facade of royal reign starts to crumble, friendships come apart and things- romantically on America's side and politically on the royal's side - get out of hand. It gets dangerous and also harder for America to stay on my good side if she continues her irresolute back and forth between Aspen and Maxon.

 

* Have you read THE PRINCE? It's the prequel to THE SELECTION. 

* Click here for an excerpt of THE ELITE. 

* Watch the THE ELITE book trailer! 

* For further information about Kiera Cass and her books visit www.kieracass.com

* Thanks to Harper Collins UK for sending me a copy of THE ELITE for review!

The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Summary by Goodreads 

A prince and thirty-five girls who fight for his heart. What first sounds like a regular YA contemporary, fast proves that this princess' story is more on the darker side of royalty. By writing THE SELECTION Kiera Cass created a story more dystopian than contemp. The United States have been destroyed and people are divided by a caste system, that ranges from a 1 for the royal family to 8 for unemployed people who don't contribute to society. This promises to be a world building with a deeper running conflict potential to lure in many YA readers.

Prince Maxon is a beau, rich and most popular bachelor in the kingdom. So THE SELECTION sure has a love story. But it's not only about Maxon looking for a bride. It seems the prince has to compete for one of his ladies' heart, too. America is the girl in the middle of a love triangle. Prince Maxon is a gentle man, on the shy side and not the confident leader one expects him to be. So it was only natural girls would fall for America's first love, too. His name is Aspen and he is manly, confident and the gorgeous boy next door. The love story between America and Aspen really put a spell on me. He is America's first love and I loved to read about their tender and tentative feelings for each other growing into something shiny and beautiful. My heart ached as much as America's when they had to part and America left for the palace.

Once in the palace, America is a part of the competition. And the contest is what keeps THE SELECTION expectionally delightful. The girls have to master all kinds of challenges and public appearances. Fun and glee are guaranteed, because these girls don't always play fair. Expect tender moments as well as scenes that can fast escalate into a cat fight.

5/5 ***** THE SELECTION - Poofy dresses, sparkling dates with a prince and a dream life the palace. A very princess-like read!

THE SELECTION is a 2012 debut that filled a gap in the wide YA range. It has the romance and girly power of a contemporary and the disrupted world hinting at its dystopian character.

Publisher: Harper Collins Childrens Books
Publishing Date: June 7^th 2012
Length: 327 pages
Keywords: YA fiction, romance, competition, rebellion, monarchy, love triangle

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

The Selection Excerpt 

Author's Homepage 

Coveresque feat. Requiem by Lauren Oliver (US vs. Czech vs. German)

                US                                     Czech                                  German                  

REQUIEM by Lauren Oliver has been released March 5^th 2013 in the US. Two months later and we already have eight different covers to choose from.

The US cover continued the DELIRIUM cover redesign with its flowers and leaves in the background and a girl's face in its center. The cover looks nice on my shelf together with PANDEMONIUM in orange and DELIRIUM in blueish green, but is the least appealing out of the three featured covers above.

The Czech cover is modelled on the original DELIRIUM cover (not the first ARC cover) which I really liked (see it on the left side). It's just the grey color that looks a bit too drab and still.

„Freiheit“ which means freedom ist written all over the German cover. Original idea and definitely my favourite detail of the cover. I'm not sure about the girl's expression on the cover. Closed eyes could equal various states of emotion, to be withdraw, concentrated or resigned. The US cover model however with eyes wide open stands for an offensive character or a strong will to fight and appears way more active.

And here are some other covers. Left to right: UK, Swedish, Polish, French, Russian. The UK cover had been one of my favourites from the moment of its reveal, because I love the color sceme and it represents my feel about REQUIEM best. 

Tell me, which cover do you like best?