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!

Teen Review: Inheritance

Inheritance (Inheritance #4) by Christopher Paolini
Release Date ~ November 8, 2011
Random House
ISBN13: 9780375856112

Goodreads Synopsis:
Not so very long ago, Eragon—Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider—was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.
Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.
The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?
This is the much-anticipated, astonishing conclusion to the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.

I'm sure that other avid book readers have waited for years for a book in a series to come out.  These books can be pretty risky business.  Either they're terrible and too drawn out, or they're amazing.  I will be the first to tell you that Inheritance by Christopher Paolini was the latter.  I've been waiting for the fourth Eragon book to come out for a good couple of years.  This book did not disappoint!

1. Amazing Action Sequences
   
   If any of you have read any of the Eragon books, you will be able to relate when I say that usually, it takes me a bit to get through them.  They're a bit slow at first.  With this book, within the first 50 pages, I was hooked.  This book picks up right where the last one left off.  You read about some awesome battle scenes, that are not too long but not too short either.  I could picture exactly what was happenning during all of the scenes.
2. Lively, deep characters 
   
   In this book, Paolini really helps to explain who the characters are and why they act the way they do.  You learn a lot about Eragon, Saphira, and even Nasuada (who, by the way, is hands down my favourite character).  He does some major character developement, which actually helped the characters become more real and relatable.  We're shown some of their fears, dreams and what they really think iand feel internally.  You learn A LOT about Nasuada, who's always seemed kind of distant in the books.  I was pleased I got to be more involved in her story in this book. 
3. The Ending
   
   The ending was brilliant because after the main storyline was over and done, it kept going for a bit.  The whole last hundred pages or so is like one long epilogue.  Some people may have found it unnecessary, but I found that it gave a nice sense of closure.  Almost all of the loose ends were tied up neatly, and any of the ones that weren't annoying at all.

Overall, I think thta the wait for this book was worth it.  I absolutely LOVED it.  If any of you are thinking about reading this series, I highly reccomend it.  It is a bit tricky during the first book because it can be very slow at first, but it's very good once you get into it.  Even though this book is very long (849 pages), it only took me about a week read it.  The story goes by really quickly and this book is my favourite of the whole series.

Review copy received from Random House Canada; no other compensation received.

Review: Alcestis

Alcestis by Katharine Beutner
Release Date ~ February 1, 2010
Soho Press
ISBN13: 9781569476178

Goodreads Synopsis:

In Greek myth, Alcestis is known as the ideal wife; she loved her husband so much that she died and went to the underworld in his place. In this vividly-imagined debut, Katharine Beutner gives voice to the woman behind the ideal and reveals the part of the story that’s never been told: What happened to Alcestis in the three days she spent in the underworld?

I've mentioned this before, but I'm a sucker for any book that has to do with Greek mythology. I honestly want to read them all (if only there was enough time)! Alcestis is one myth that I'm not nearly as familiar with, and I actually don't think I've read the original but this one intrigued me regardless.

With an excellent, strong start I fell in love nearly immediately... but I was a tad disappointed with a lackluster finish.

1. Fantastic representation of mythology:
   
   Katharine Beutner has an impressive grasp on the mythology and culture of Ancient Greece and she writes in a way that really puts you in an accurate frame of mind to get involved in the story of Alcestis' life. I REALLY loved the way she portrayed the gods and goddesses, because even though I enjoy other retellings they can often trivialize the gods to an extent. It was refreshing to read a story where the characters were intimidated and fascinated by the gods.
2. Accurate, realistic portrayal of the life of a Greek woman:
   
   I was completely invested in Alcestis' story and I was dying to find out how things turned out for her. I so desperately wanted her to find happiness, and there was something so endearing about her as she struggled to find her place in a man's world...

But that was only at first. I was enthralled with this book for the first half, but the second half I found lacking and left me sorely disappointed. Katharine definitely explored some creative, interesting ideas in her re-imagining of Alcestis' story. And she has a difficult job trying to fill-in-the-blanks of what happened to Alcestis in the underworld, without anything to go off of in traditional mythology.

My main dislike however, ended up being Alcestis. She seemed to be two entirely different characters, with an utter transformation in the middle of the book. And I think that Katharine was going for a journey of transformation and self-discovery for Alcestis, but the two personalities didn't seem to relate to each other at all. The change was so drastic and so fast, and she lost many of the qualities I admired about her in the beginning. I can appreciate great change in her- but not so much that she's unrecognizable. She seemed weaker by the end, somehow drained of the immense strength she exhibited in the beginning.

I was also slightly disappointed with how slow most of the story seemed to be, and how some parts seemed to be redundant to a point. I did, however, appreciate the fact that Katharine took the time to really flesh out an in-depth background for Alcestis and I thoroughly enjoyed that part. Yet the latter half and her time in the underworld seemed to be longer than necessary, and the affect seemed to be lost on me because of this. The section dealing with her time in the underworld and the aftermath just felt so disjointed form the rest, and very unexpected- there wasn't much of a lead in or reason given for it, and I found it hard to believe that Alcestis would react in such a way. (And yes, I'm being vague to avoid potential spoilers).

This book felt like it would be better suited for older readers, people who enjoy a slower pace with a focus on the internal struggles and changes of a character rather than lots of action. Familiarity with Greek culture could make it more interesting as well. Still, this is a stunning novel, and Katharine weaves together truly remarkable phrasing and imagery with her words.

I'd give this one 2.5/5 but only because I found the latter half to drag on and I was disappointed with Alcestis' reaction to her struggles. The first half of the book was easily a 4/5 for me.

Review copy received from Soho Press in exchange for my honest review; no other compensation was received.

Waiting on Wednesday {18}

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...

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

To be released ~ January 24, 2012

Little known fact about me: I'm a HUGE sucker for zombie post-apoc, deadly virus movies. I mean, I'm a Resident Evil Fan. And I love 28 Days Later, Andromeda Strain, etc. But for some reason, I haven't read very many zombie of these books. Needless to say, however, I am THRILLED by all thse freaky, post-apocolyptic, end of the world, deadly virus, potentially zombie books we're getting in YA now! Also, I love that this one is from Disney-Hyperion because it totally isn't the kind of book that comes to mind when I think of Disney. LOVE IT. And it comes out so soon, squee!

Also, I had no clue about this until literally right now, but Megan Crewe is actually Canadian! Which is pretty awesome, if you ask me. Love my fellow Canuck book lovers <3

Update: I should add that Megan has informed me there are no zombies. So, there is no potential zombie plot. BUT that does not mean I'm less excited for htis one- because it was my love of post-apoc, zombie films that made me appreciate any sort of deadly, evil virus spreading storyline :)

Goodreads Synopsis:
It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.
Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.
Because how will she go on if there isn't?
Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl’s bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series.

What book are you waiting on this week? Have you heard of this book yet? Will you be picking it up in the New Year?

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. 

In My Mailbox {18}

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren, which allows bloggers to share what books they’ve received in the past week. They can be from stores, contests, tours, publishers, libraries, borrowed books from friends, and the list goes

on! It's just a way of showing off the books you received in the past week and making sure they're featured on the blog.

WOW, so this week ended up being a HUGE week for me in terms of books!

See what I mean? HUGE!

• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (purchased from Amazon.com because I wanted a hardcover!)
• Exiled (Volume 1) by M.R. Merrick (purchased from Amazon.com because I love this book and wanted a physical copy, but I've already read and reviewed the e-book!)
• Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (purchased from Amazon.com and it released early, yay! I've already read this one as well, but HAD to have a physical copy and there is an extra scene in this one from Daemon's POV which is so good!)
• ARC Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell ~ TBR May 1, 2012 (from Manda Group)
• ARC The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis ~ TBR January 1, 2012 (from Manda Group)
• ARC Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews ~ TBR March 1, 2012 (from Manda Group)

Now the rest of these books pictured are all from HUKCanada, which is incredible and just so generous of them! I was thrilled by all of these surprises they offered :)

• The Double Shadow by Sally Gardner
• Spirit Walker (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness #2) by Michelle Paver
• Oath Breaker (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness #5) by Michelle Paver
• Ghost Hunter (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness #6) by Michelle Paver
• Emily Windsnap and the Siren's Secret (Emily Windsnap #4) by Liz Kessler
• Sundered Lands (Fair Wind to Widdershins) by Allan Frewin Jones and Gary Chalk
• The Mourning Emporium by Michelle Lovric
• Dead Man's Cove by Lauren St. John
• Vampires and Volts (The Raven Mysteries #4) by Marcus Sedgwick
• Verity Fibbs by Cathy Brett
• Twisted Heart (Dark Angel #2) by Eden Maguire
• Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick
• How to Steal a Dragon's Sword (Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III #9) by Cressida Crowell
• Grace Williams Says It Loud by Emma Henderson
• The Game: The Valley by Krystyna Kuhn
• Lucky Bunny by Jill Dawson
• The Bad Tuesdays 2: Strange Energy by Benjamin J. Myers
• Rose and the Magician's Mask (Rose #3) by Holly Webb
• Winter's Knight by Richard Argent

Clearly, I'm going to be kept busy over my Christmas break haha! But I'm looking forward to all of these, especially the UK ones since there were so many I'd never heard of but I'm now looking forward to! The Game kind of reminds me of Variant, and I'm REALLY excited for Lucky Bunny- it sounds like something kind of different and refreshing from what I typically read.

E-books:

• Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (YES I bought a second Kindle copy because I desperately wanted those extra scenes. The e-book includes TWO bonus scenes from Daemon's POV, different from the paperback!)
• All's Fair in Vanities War by Elizabeth Marx (from author for blog tour)

Feel free to leave a comment on my mailbox and to leave a link so I can visit yours! :)



#TeamJuliette First Match

Guys, TODAY IS THE DAY!

We need you to get over here, and vote for Juliette in her first match!

My advocate post is up now on YA Sisterhood, so make sure you stop by and get all your friends and fellow Shatter Me fans to vote!