Review: Cursed

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date ~ September 18, 2012
Spencer Hill Press
ISBN13: 9780983157274
ARC received from publisher

Goodreads Synopsis:

Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows. 
Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he's a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she's more than interested. There's just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she's willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?
But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, she's not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.


I grew up on X-Men, so I've been sympathetic to the touch of death concept since I was a kid (hello, Rogue). The idea has always fascinated me - I'm not really a touchy-feely kind of person, but never being able to touch someone (EVER) sounds terribly lonely. Even though the concept is familiar, I'm very impressed with how unique and fresh different authors can make it and I've been a fan of Jennifer's previous books and knew this was one I had to try out.

And while I enjoyed the conspiracy theory angle of Cursed, it wasn't quite as creative as I had hoped for yet still managed to be a quick and engaging read. It's fun and fairly light, but nothing spectacular and the disappointing part for me was how forgettable the book was in comparison to others.

1. A protagonist all on her own: 
   
   The hardest part for Ember is that she's become so used to relying on no one but herself; she hasn't had much help from others in her life, and she's wary of trusting anyone. This makes her extremely independent and terribly lonely. But I think that's something to help form a sense of camaradie between Ember and readers who have felt that way before in their lives.
   
2. Sisterly bond:
   
   Hands down my favourite aspect of Cursed was the relationship between Olivia and Ember. I loved that Ember was willing to do anything for Olivia, and how endeared Olivia was to Ember. You could really tell that they cared so much for each other, and added an interesting dynamic to the story. 

Unfortunately, I was less impressed with the romantic relationship between Hayden and Ember. He seemed like he came right out of a YA character cookie cutter, and didn't stand out from any other generic love interest. He was arrogant and a little snarky, but with a heart of gold - I was really hoping Jennifer would go for a different type of character with Hayden but that was not the case here. He's still cute and the tension between them is enticing, but I desperately wanted something new and different. 

The story also felt largely unfinished to me. There were a lot of interesting ideas introduced, and very few of them seemed to be followed through to their full potential for this to be a standalone. I have really enjoyed her other books though, and I think a large part of my issue with Cursed is that it just didn't stick with me and I was anticipating something as great as her other books. 

So this is a book that is easy and quick to read, and those who are less familiar with Jennifer's books or other standard YA fare may be more interested in Cursed than I found it. 

Daemon Invasion 2012!

Guys! BIG ANNOUNCEMENT HERE! I'm sure some of you have already heard, but for those of you who haven't, I have a special announcmenet post from the fabulous Jennifer L. Armentrout and the Daemon Invasion team:

Over the last couple of weeks, you’ve heard us talking about the upcoming #daemoninvasion and we’re so excited to finally share with you what is going on.

Really excited.

The beautiful and uber cool models, Pepe Toth and Sztella Tziotziosz, who grace the Lux covers, will be joining us in the United States! You heard right. They are flying here, from Hungary to spend a few days as Daemon and Katy! While they are here, they will be working with Vania, from VLC Productions (the team behind Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments, Melissa de La Cruz, Kimberly Derting, Moira Young, Kami Garcia and Margret Stohl, Hillary Duff, Lauren Destefano, and many, many more authors’ book trailers), to film book trailers for the Lux Series.

 

During the filming in Atlanta, they will be accompanying us on tour! What does that mean? You get to meet them. In the flesh. They will be participating in the signings and events. At those signings, we’ll be giving away signed posters, photos, and other swag. There will also be meet and greet events you can join in on.

At each signing, there will be advanced copies of Onyx given away!

 

And to top things off (as if this isn’t enough, but we don’t do anything small), there’s something very, very exciting in the works! It involves advanced copies of Opal, water, and a little destination known as the Bahamas.

 

I am not kidding.

 

This will be epic.

 

Aare you excited? I am! This tour is going to be so, so much fun, and I’m so thrilled that Pepe and Sztella are a part of it. We owe them a huge thank you and a giant welcome making the 16 hour flight to meet the readers of the Lux Series. You!

 

Daemon Invasion Signing and Event Schedule

June 8th
FoxTale Book Shoppe
Woodstock, GA
3:00pm

June 10th
Barnes and Noble
St Johns Town Center
Jacksonville, FL
3:00pm

June 13th
Barnes and Noble
Waterford Lakes Town Center
Orlando, FL
3:00pm

June 14th
Barnes and Noble
The Palladium at City Place
West Palm Beach, FL
4:00pm
There are several #daemoninvasion street teamers out there and if you want to join a team to win exclusive prizes, search down the #daemoninvasion hashtag to join one of the teams!

Don’t forget to visit Jennifer L. Armentrout’s blog to win a signed set of Half-Blood and Pure in celebration of her adult romance release, Tempting the Best Man, under pen name J. Lynn. It can be purchased here.

P.S. if you love Obsidian (and Jennifer, and Daemon...) as much as I do, and want to join a #daemoninvasion street team get in touch with me!

Blog Tour: Pure

Today my stop on the Pure Blog Tour is for my review of Pure! Also, I'm announcing the giveaways that are associated with this tour, so make sure you read the rules and find out how you can win just by leaving a comment!

You can find the full tour schedule here with all the tour stops.

 

Pure (Covenant #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date ~ April 3, 2012
Spencer Hill Press
ISBN13: 9780983157229
ARC received from publisher for review
Goodreads Synopsis:
 There is need. And then there is Fate...

Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's "other half" is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her.

When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon... and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude... or killing her.

When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

Jennifer never ceases to amaze me with her writing and her books. Ever since the Covenant series was released last summer (Daimon, Covenant #0.5) she's managed to take the book world by STORM. One thing I really love about her books is that they're consistent, everything I love about them is found in each of her books yet they all stand out on their own. Pure is no exception to this at all!
Pure incorporates all the elements I loved about Half-Blood, and then cranks up the intensity even further! The romance is even better (who knew THAT was possible?!), the stakes are higher, and the story more emotional.

1. The boys are hot:
   You can't mention a JLA book without pointing out the sizzling romance; Jennifer just has this uncanny knack for writing mind-blowing chemistry between her characters. Romance isn't anything unique or new to YA books, but Jennifer writes it as one of the best in the genre. And Pure doesn't leave any of this out, continuing on with where Half-Blood left off.
2. More development:
   Seth fans will be happy because we finally get to know this mysterious character that was only very briefly introduced in Half-Blood. Aiden fans will be happy because we get to see some new sides of his own complex character. Alex fans will be happy because she really grows and changes in Pure; the events of Half-Blood had an incredible impact on her, and Pure is truly a growth period for her. Plus, we get to see a bit more of Jennifer's world building in Pure as well.
3. Don't forget the action:
   I love the Covenant series because it features so many well-written and exciting action scenes. You just can't put these books down, and Pure featured quite a few of these. Pure doesn't shy away from any of these, as it has some of the best action sequences I've read in YA books.

Pure is such an intoxicating read, and it's a perfect fit to a series that has quickly become one of my favourites! It's wonderful, absolutely addicting. This is a phenomenal series and I for one personally cannot WAIT for Deity to come out! Anything Jennifer writes is an absolute must-read for me.

To gain an entry in either/both of the tour giveaways for Pure, leave a comment here about this review and/or the Covenant series and then go to StuckInBooks and/or A Cupcake and a Latte with this link (link to my blog post with your comment) to complete your entry.
The StuckInBooks giveaway has three prizes: (1) paperback copy of Daimon, Half-Blood and Pure (2) copy of Half-Blood and Pure and (3) copy of Pure.
At A Cupcake and a Latte, you can win a Covenant prize pack from Spencer Hill Press including a signed copy of Daimon and Covenant swag (this swag is some of my favourite, I love it)!

There is also a Twitter "spread the word" giveaway going on the tour schedule page where you can win a handmade Covenant series bracelet!

Waiting on Wednesday {27}

Jill @ Breaking the Spine hosts this weekly meme where we can share a book that we are so excited for and are anxiously awaiting their upcoming release!

This week my WoW pick is...

Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

It's no secret that Jennifer has taken the YA book world by storm. She's found her place on top (and earned it) and she's definitely here to stay!

I was incredibly excited to read Obsidian after first hearing of it, and I was incredibly excited when I was asked to give an early review for Obsidian; and I was in NO way disappointed.

The series is completely fresh and full of exciting, with plenty of hooks to really grab you (including some really sexy romance). Needless to say, I'm one of the many people (millions? it's a lot!) eagerly anticipating the next installment in the Lux series!!

Warning: the Goodreads description is spoiler-y for those of you who haven't read Obsidian. BUT you can check out my review for Obsidian for a spoiler-free review and info on it.

And don't even get me started on those covers. BUT the good news for all of us impatient readers is that the SHADOWS novella releases in less than a week, on February 21st!

Goodreads Description:
Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarre connection. I’ve sworn him off even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But against all common sense, I’m falling for him. Hard.

Our relationship issues aren’t out biggest problem…

The Department of Defense is here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we’re linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And when a new boy shows up a school with a secret of his own, things get complicated fast. I need to choose between my own instincts and Daemon’s.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. Daemon’s never going to stop searching until gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies.

Author Interview: Jennifer L. Armentrout

With Daimon, Half-Blood and Obsidian out this year (and Pure, Deity, Cursed, Unchained, and Onyx coming out in 2012!) you seem to be QUITE busy with writing. How do you keep yourself motivated to write so much?

Next year is going to bring the crazy sauce. I have my days where I don't feel like writing a single word, but usually motivation is easy, because i LOVE writing. It's something that I need to do. A lot of people ask how I can write so much, and there are days that I write for 12-15 hours. That's how.

I read Half-Blood and Obsidian back to back, and I was really impressed by how different they were in terms of characters and plot. Do you find it difficult to write so many different stories and struggle to keep them standing out among each other?

The worlds and characters are so different, that I don't really have a hard time keeping them apart, but I don't write or edit two different series at the same time. My biggest is problem is that Alex from Half-Blood has a tendency to bust up in my other novels, mainly because she has the "loudest" personality out of everyone, so I have to be careful in edits to catch when the character is being too Alex.

Do you find Katy and Alex to be opposites or do you see ways in which they're very similar to each other as well?

Both of them are stubborn and strong, I think, but polar opposites from that point on. Katy has impulse control while Alex pretty much does what she wants, whenever she wants. Katy is also more normal and has normal reactions to things. Alex is sort of a hit first and then investigate later.

If you had to choose: Marry, Date, or Dump- with Seth, Aiden, and Daemon. I know it's a tough question, but what about some of your favourite and least favourite things about your guys?

Haha. I don't know how to answer that question. All of them have their flaws and things that make them perfect. Daemon would be the hardest to get along with, because honestly, he's the one who's really like a normal, real guy. He doesn't always say the right things like Aiden or is in your face snarky like Seth. Aiden is the hardest to write I think, besides Daemon (because Daemon has to be written a very certain way and EVERYTHING he says and does means something), but Aiden may come off as one way when he's really a storm brewing under the surface. He's the one I think will surprise the most in the end. And Seth is just hilarious. He always makes me laugh.





 

Some of the most common reactions I've seen to your books (and some of my favourite parts!) deal with the enchanting and delicious romance- would you ever write a book that doesn't have such a heavy influence on the romantic aspect?

I will never write a book that's not heavy on the romance. The romance aspect is my favorite part and that's what I read and enjoy. I think its key though that the actual plot isn't lost in the romance, which can be hard when all you want to write is the kissy face scenes.  

Thank you for having me.

Thank you for stopping by at Esther's Ever After today, Jennifer!

Because I love her books so much, I'm also giving away a copy of either Half-Blood (Covenant #1) or Obsidian (Lux #1) both of which are amazing (or even a pre-order of Pure). It's open internationally, since it's coming from The Book Depository. Winner's choice of the the options.

Just leave a comment and make sure to include your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win :)

Cover Reveal: Deity

Hey guys!

Today is a big, exciting day because Alex from Jennifer L. Armentrout's Covenant series is competing in a match against Nora from Hush, Hush in the YA Heroine Tournament! Alex is one of my top picks for YA heroines and she needs your support! Definitely make sure you stop by to vote for her TODAY - vote here!

And remember that if Alex wins, then Jennifer will write a bonus scene between Alex and Aiden between Half-Blood and Pure. Guys, I know I'm not the only one who wants to read this.

As something extra exciting, we get to reveal the cover for the third Covenant book, DEITY, set to be released in November 2012.

By the way, I love this cover... it ties in nicely with the others but with something kinda nice added in the background ;) Let me know what you guys think of this one!

Cover Reveal: ONYX

Back in October, I was fortunate enough to receive an e-galley of Jennifer L. Armentrout's new book, Obsidian, the first in her new Lux series. And today, I get to show you the new cover for the second book in the series, Onyx! It is GORGEOUS by the way.

Obsidian's official release date is tomorrow (December 6th) and it is one you all must absolutely read! I loved, loved, LOVED it! I can't rave about it enough. If you're curious, you can find my review for it here. If you haven't heard much about this one, I'm going to give you a neat little teaser that I loved about it: the main character, Katy, is a book blogger! So if you're familiar with the book blogging community at all, you'll love all the little allusions Jennifer includes to it in Obsidian.

Okay, I won't make you wait any longer... here it is alongside the cover for Obsidian!

Blurb Sneak Peek: No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

I didn't think it was possible, but I actually love the cover for Onyx more than the one for Obsidian! Daemon looks good (what else is new?) but I'm really curious about the setting they have in the background! Entangled Publishing has done a phenomenal job on these covers, yes?

Obsidian has released early so it should be available now, and you MUST get this one! I purchased both a paperback and e-book because each comes with extra scenes from Daemon's POV- the paperback has one, and the e-book has two scenes all different from each other.

If you'd like to purchase Obsidian, it's available at:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Book Depository

Note that the Book Depository link is my affiliate link. 

Half-Blood

Half-Blood (Covenant #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Spencer Hill Press
ISBN13:  9780983157205


5/5 Stars!

Goodreads Synopsis:
The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

After reading Obsidian (TBR December 6, 2011) I picked up my copy of Half-Blood which had just arrived. Because if I couldn't read the next Obsidian book, then another book from Jennifer would just have to do. I will add that I was in no way disappointed with this one!

But since this is a book I've read a fair number of reviews on, I want to add that I have yet to read Vampire Academy (yes, I plan to read it soon, but I haven't yet). So I have no comment whatsoever to make on its possible similarities to VA - but I will say that those similarities sound like a dozen other books I've read, and like ones that are bound to happen.

1. A fiesty, spunky heroine:
   
   I know I'm not the only one out there who loves a heroine with attitude. The one with the comebacks I wish I could think up. The one who is not only emotionally tough, but physically as well and can give any guy a run for their money in a fight. Alex is the perfect heroine in this capacity, but there's something so very real and flawed about her character. She isn't perfect. Her tough exterior it so hide some secrets and pain; and I LOVE that about her!
2. Swoon-worthy romance:
   
   One thing I adore about Jennifer's stories is how deliciously laced they are with romance. With just the right intensity to pull you into the story and give you a few Armentrout-book inspired daydreams. She spends time building the anticipation to really invest you in the story, and then leaves you with a scene or two that will leave you BEGGING (oh, I mean literal begging) for more!
3. Action, action and MORE action:
   
   I love books with action that's appropriately placed and timed. And with a plot like this one, action is a MUST to really make the words jump off the pages and leave your heart racing as you frantically flip the pages to find out what happens! Just don't get forget to breathe while Alex and Aiden and friends are getting into trouble and fighting daemons.

To be honest, I tend to have a difficult time reviewing books that I thoroughly enjoyed and loved. Half-Blood is a non-stop ride, and incorporates everything there is to love about YA. I honestly cannot wait to see where this series goes, and this book has cemented the fact that anything Jennifer writes is now a must-read for me.

Obsidian

Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: December 6, 2011
Entangled Publishing
ISBN13: 9781937044237

5/5 Stars!

Goodreads Synopsis:
Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don’t kill him first, that is.

This book is sexy. And I don't mean just the cover.

I also don't just mean the romance (although it's pretty damn hot too). I mean Jennifer Armentrout's extremely talented writing, her characters, and the entire freaking book. Make sure you're well prepared before beginning this one: it's so hot the pages are just slick with sweat, and you might want to have a fan on handy. And maybe an inhaler for all the times you lose your breath because you forget to keep breathing.

Seriously, even after finishing this an hour ago I'm still like, "PHEW! *fans self* *swoons*"

Reasons to Read:

1. Aliens:
   Do I even need to explain this one? Because aliens are just cool. Especially when they aren't terrifying monsters, but instead more superhuman. And I am LOVING this new trend in YA involving superhuman characters, and how it's branching out into the idea of cool aliens too. Obsidian kind of reminded me of Daniel X, except so much better. SO MUCH BETTER.
2. Phenomenal Characters:
   Normally in YA books, it tends to be only one or two characters who are well-developed and interesting. Okay, maybe throw in a BFF sidekick once in a while too. But something I really appreciated about Obsidian was how alive every character introduced felt; especially Dee. I adore Dee. I want to be best friends with her and stalk er ogle spend time with her brother. Honestly, I would love to read stories told from the perspective of every person encountered in Obsidian; there's just so much material there, and I want to know all of it.
3. Romantic Anguish:
   I know I'm not the only person out there who thrives off of the build up and anticipation of a romantic crush. I think that's something I most appreciate about YA: you get to fall in love all over again, every time you pick up a book (hopefully). And Obsidian is just BURSTING with that anguish and sexual tension, where you're like "OMG WOULD YOU JUST PLEASE KISS OR TOUCH OR DO SOMETHING ALREADY, BECAUSE YOUR LOVELY READER IS DYING OF ANTICIPATION HERE!!!!!" and yet they don't. BUT THEN OMG THEY DO!! And you feel like you're right along with them for that long, wild ride. Plus, I'm a huge fan of witty banter. It makes me all giddy and smile to myself, and is often the cause of my guilty daydreams involving book boyfriends.
4. A Book Blogging Character:GUYS, THIS IS SO COOL. But the main character (Katy) is a book blogger! And Jennifer fits in all these little things that feel like inside jokes for book bloggers. Her allusions to memes and books are just so much fun. But I have to say that putting a book blogger in a situation with no Internet and no mail is just cruel. CRUEL. But she's such a little book nerd, and I internally squeed everytime something came up. Honestly, I think this is worth reading just for the book blogging jokes, if you're a fellow book blogger.

But I will say this- Daemon is a real piece of work at the beginning. And unless you're a bad boy fan, who can put up with that for a while, you are probably going to hate him. He's that kind of guy, and that's my fair warning. And while I personally feel that he redeems himself, I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea. What I appreciate about Daemon and Obsidian though, is that Jennifer recognizes that he's a jerk and intended him to be that way. So it isn't like she's trying to sugarcoat his jerk attitude and pass it off as "true love".

I only briefly mentioned this at the beginning, but it needs to be addressed again: Jennifer is extraordinarily talented. I would love to sing the praises of her writing and imagination from the rooftops. She is the kind of author who writes in such a way that she lures you in to her story, and essentially has you in a trance from "Once upon a time..." to "The End". And everything in the middle is just a rollercoaster of emotions- which is part of why I think Daemon as a character is so successful. He's SUPPOSED to make you furious and lustful all at the same time. He's intended that way, and boy, does she ever succeed.

e-galley received from publisher for my honest review; no other compensation was received. A BIG thank you to Entangled Publishing for this one!

You really need to go pre-order this one now:

Waiting on Wednesday {12}

see this lovely picture? It was made by Lindsay at The Violet Hour. Thank you so much for letting others use it!

Jill @ Breaking the Spine hosts this weekly meme where we can share a book that we are so excited for and are anxiously awaiting their upcoming release!

This week my WoW pick is...

Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I've read some early reviews for Obsidian (glowing ones!) about how good it is. Plus, I kind of like these new alien/superhuman books that have been coming out recently. I'm really excited that this one's coming from Entangled Publishing too, because after reading Touch from them, I think we're going to see a LOT of good YA books from them- something I really enjoy because they tend to read a little bit older than other YA books. And after reading Covenent's Daimon prequel, I already know that Jennifer is a supremely talented writer :)

Goodreads Synopsis:
Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don’t kill him first, that is.


What book are you waiting on this week? Do you have any interest in alien books like this one? Tell me more about it by leaving me a comment :)

Kindred Reads {5}

Kindred Reads is my weekly feature where I recommend similar books. There's a mix of popular books, and fairly unknown authors and indie books as well. This is something that I personally wish I saw more of; after reading a book I enjoy, I often want to read similar books but they can be hard to discover!
 

These books contain similar elements, whether it's content, writing style, or other themes found in the stories. They are always books which I have read, and clicking on the title of the book will take you to my review of that book (if I have reviewed it) or to Goodreads (if I have not reviewed the book).

If you liked...
The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

You might want to read...

Exiled (Volume 1) by M.R. Merrick

Okay, so there aren't any Shadowhunters... but there is a totally hot main character GUY who's supposed to hunt demons and meets a badass female witch. And together, they're a part of an adventure to stop a really evil guy. Sounds familiar, right? Exiled is self-published but it is awesome, and you can just look it up to see all the rave reviews it's getting. Extremely well done, and Merrick writes some incredible and exciting action scenes. He's wonderfully talented, and has written something to help tide us over while we wait for Clockwork Prince and City of Lost Souls to be released.








Daimon/Half-Blood (Covenant series) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I confess that I've only read Daimon (so far!) since Half-Blood isn't released until mid-October, but I'm confident from reading the prequel to the first book in the new Covenant series that it's going to be good (plus, I've been heard good things from people who've read ARCs of it). Similar idea to Exiled and MI that there's a demon hunter (girl, this time) who's fallen on some hard times and is just starting to unravel all the mysteries that have been hidden from her for years. More hot guys, more action, and more scary bad guys... what more are we looking for?

Daimon by Jennifer L. Arementrout

Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: May 10, 2011
ISBN13: 9780983157267

4/5 Stars

Daimon is a great little teaser prequel to introduce Jennifer L. Armentrout's new series debuting in October 2011. I'm not going to write a summary for this since the prequel is short enough on its own!

The best way to describe this is Percy Jackson for older teens/young adults. I really enjoyed the Percy series (and its new spin off) so this one is right up my alley! It's fabulous; Armentrout writes Alex so well. She's just so snarky and tough, yet vulnerable at the same time. It's a difficult character to convey, and this little prequel is a great introduction to the series.

I was surprised by how much action is in this story, but that's a good sign for the rest of the series I hope! And Armentrout writes the action sequences well, which pleases me since suffering through a poorly written fight scene can just be painful.

And there's just enough mystery to catch the reader's attention and ask for more! I pre-ordered my signed copy of Half-Blood and that is one book I cannot wait to get my hands on!

P.S. I downloaded a free copy of this from the Spencer Hill Press website.

Waiting on Wednesday! 7/13

(see this lovely picture? It was made by Lindsay at The Violet Hour. So thanks to her for sharing it!)

 Breaking the Spine hosts weekly "Waiting on Wednesday" for books that haven't been released yet but we are anxious for!

The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook

Okay, so I'm a bit obsessed... but really, how can you resist a recipe for groosling?

Besides, there are no more books and the movie isn't released until 2012 so I need my fix!

Release Date: December 1, 2011

Half-Blood (Covenant #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I'm probably most excited for this one right now. I have my signed copy pre-ordered and I can't wait! The prequel is on my Kindle too.

Release Date: October 18, 2011

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi pure-bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:

Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.

Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

Besides these two, I have some of sequels I'm excited for:

Fever (Chemical Gardens #2) by Lauren DeStefano

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver

Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie