Book Review: Shelter Me

Shelter Me by Alex McAulay

Released: January 26, 2009

Publisher: MTV Books
Pages: 288
Rating: 4 stars

Maggie Leigh just wants to be a normal teenager, but when German bombs tear apart London during World War II, her ultra-religious mother sees the destruction as divine punishment. She sends Maggie to a remote boarding school in coastal Wales, supposedly to keep her safe, but also to keep her in line. The school is creepy, the headmistress is a lunatic, and the students range from spoiled rich girls to speechless trauma victims. But when a tragic accident happens on the beach, Maggie and three friends are forced to flee the school, plunging into the nightmarish world of Europe during wartime. Now every decision Maggie makes is fraught with danger, and living to see another day depends on how quickly she can think and act...and how far she's willing to go.

Shelter Me is a keep-you-on-your-toes-from-beginning-to-end kind of book. There were numerous moments where I was just totally flabbergasted. This is the first book to completely shock me like that!

Maggie is a very determined girl, but her mom believes she's corrupted, so she sends her off to a boarding school in Wales. But strange things are happening at the school, so Maggie and a couple friends leave to travel somewhere else. Being in the middle of a war, it isn't the best idea for girls to be wandering around alone, especially after dark with no money, no food, and no way to defend themselves. They encounter all kinds of problems, some more dangerous than others, and I was on the edge wondering if that would be the end of the road for them.

McAulay really knows how to write a killer novel - with action and never ending suspense!!

Book Review: Betrayals

Betrayals by Lili St. Crow

Released: November 17, 2009

Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 304
Series: Strange Angels #2
Rating: 4 stars

She’s no angel . . .

Poor Dru Anderson. Her parents are long gone, her best friend is a werewolf, and she’s just learned that the blood flowing through her veins isn’t entirely human. (So what else is new?)

Now Dru is stuck at a secret New England School for other teens like her, and there’s a big problem— she’s the only girl in the place. A school full of cute boys wouldn’t be so bad, but Dru’s killer instinct says that one of them wants her dead. And with all eyes on her, discovering a traitor within the Order could mean a lot more than social suicide. . .

Can Dru survive long enough to find out who has betrayed her trust—and maybe even her heart?

After being left on a cliffhanger at the end of Strange Angels, I couldn't wait to read more of Dru's adventures and near-death escapes. Betrayals picks up with Dru and Graves just arriving at the secret school with others like them. The school was suppose to be a safe place where Dru could learn more about her background, but as it turns out its far from safe. With a traitor on the loose, Dru and her friends escape the school.

Lili St. Crow has written another action packed novel with twists and turns around every corner. Just like the end of Strange Angels, I'm left wondering what will happen next. Can't wait for the 3rd installment, Jealousy, which is set to release June 24, 2010.

In My Mailbox (28)

*In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren*

For Review:

The Summer of Moonlight Secrets by Danette Haworth

Release Date: May 25, 2010

A summer tale full of magical wonder and starring an unforgettable antebellum hotel At The Meriwether, Florida’s famous antebellum hotel off of Hope Springs, nothing is quite as it seems.

Secret staircases give way to servants’ quarters and Prohibition-era speakeasies make for the perfect hide-and-seek spot.

Allie Jo Jackson knows every nook and cranny of The Meriwether—she’s lived there her whole life—and nothing surprises her, until the first time she spots the enigmatic and beautiful Tara emerging from the springs.

Tara’s shimmery skin, long flowing hair, and strange penchant for late moonlight swims disguise a mysterious secret—and once Allie Jo and her friend Chase discover Tara’s secret, nothing will ever be the same.

Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson

Release Date: May 18, 2010

Hanover Falls hasn’t had a werewolf problem in over one hundred years. Seattle, Copenhagen, Osaka-they’ve had plenty of attacks. But when humans begin dying in Claire Benoit’s town, the panic spreads faster than a rumor at a pep rally. At Claire’s sixteenth birthday party, the gruesome killings are all anyone can talk about. But the big news in Claire’s mind is the fact that Matthew Engle–high-school soccer god and son of a world-renowned lycanthropy expert–notices her. And flirts with her. A lot.

That night, Claire learns that she is the latest in a long line of Benoit werewolves, and that contrary to popular belief, all werewolves are female. Killing humans is forbidden by the code of the pack, but a rogue werewolf has been breaking that law, threatening the existence of Claire’s new pack. As the pack struggles to find and fight the rogue werewolf and Claire struggles with her lupine identity, her heart and her loyalties are torn in two. Claire must keep her new life a secret from even her best friend–and especially from Matthew, whose father is leading the werewolf hunt…and with whom Claire is impossibly and undeniably falling head-over-paws in love.

Bought:

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman

Light Beneath Ferns by Anne Spollen

The Naughty List by Suzanne Collins

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The One by Ed Decter

The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Kidnapped by Yxta Maya Murray

Ballads of Suburbia by Stephaine Kuehnert

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

Rebal Angels by Libba Bray (Gemma Doyle #2)

Winter's End by Jean-Claude Mourlevat

Stupid Cupid by Rhonda Stapleton

Wish by Alexandra Bullen

Falling Under by Danielle Younge-Ullman

Possessing Rayne by Kate Cann

Darklight by Lesley Livingston (Wondrous Strange #2)

YA Buzz

"YA Buzz" is a collection of news relating to the YA genre. This can include, but not limited to: author and book news, new covers, and contects around the blogosphere.

Have something you would like shared? Email me at apassionforbooks@hotmail.com

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Joy Preble announced on her blog there will be a sequel to Dreaming Anastasia! The sequel's title is Haunted and is set for publication in 2011.

"Joy Preble's HAUNTED, the sequel to DREAMING ANASTASIA, in which a girl is being haunted by a mysterious and malevolent mermaid"

YA Rebels vlogger, Leah Clifford's A Touch Mortal is the first in a planned trilogy set for publication in Winter 2011.

"A seventeen-year old doesn’t remember the details of her final hours, but now, she’s a Sider, a lost soul trapped between the living and the dead; endowed with a special power no Sider ever had, she is pulled into a feud between Fallen and Bound Angels which will reveal the truth of her death and alter heaven and hell and everything in-between"

Sarah Porter's Lost Voices is set for publication in Spring 2011 in a three-book deal.

"A troubled 14-year-old's delight at becoming a mermaid and finding a home with these beautiful, mysterious creatures is tempered when she discovers their darker impulses."

Bloomsbury has purchased the sequel to The Mark by Jen Nadol. The current, but not official, title is Vision and is set for publication in 2011.

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New Covers

The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan (The Demon's Lexicon #2)
A Small Free Kiss in the Dark by Glenda Millard

Recommend Me (4)

"Recommend Me" is a weekly event, hosted by Kate from The Neverending Shelf, in which participants will pick one of their all time favorite reads to share. This could be a book that your read yesterday or years ago.

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This week, my recommendation to you is:

Beautiful by Amy Read

When thirteen-year-old Cassie moves to a suburb of Seattle, she is determined to leave her boring, good-girl existence behind. She chooses some dangerous new friends and is quickly caught up in their fast-paced world of drugs, sex, secrets, and cruelty.

Cassie's new existence both thrills and terrifies her. She embraces the numbness she feels from the drugs, starts sleeping with an older boy, and gets pulled into a twisted friendship triangle that is tinged with violence and abuse. Cassie is trapped in a swift downward spiral, and there's no turning back.

Beautiful is one of those books that you’ll remember long after you’ve read it. It was truly a raw and powerful story, but also it was so much more. These days kids really are vulnerable to their peers and surroundings. Reed did a fantastic job describing the lengths that kids will go to just to feel accepted. It may be an emotional read, but this is a story that I think needs to be read by both teens and parents alike.

Book Review: Oblivion Road

Oblivion Road by Alex McAulay

Released: November 13, 2007

Publisher: MTV Books
Pages: 304
Rating: 5 stars

Five stranded teenagers must battle for their lives against a group of escaped convicts, and each other, in this shocking survival thriller from the author of Bad Girls and Lost Summer.

Courtney Stanton thinks she's on just another ski trip with her friends -- until a horrific car accident strands them all on an isolated Colorado road during a blizzard. Frightened but alive, Courtney and her companions discover an abandoned vehicle nearby, and seek help. But the vehicle turns out to be a prison van, with the inmates missing, and the guard's dead body in the front seat.

Soon after, a stumbling figure emerges from the snow, a handcuffed refugee from the van. He says he's been in prison for selling meth, but that he once served in the army. Dare they trust him? He pleads innocence about the guard's murder, warns them about the other fugitives, and promises he will help guide them out of the wilderness. But as the group begins a nightmare trek across the frozen landscape, they start to get the feeling he hasn't told them the entire truth, and someone -- or something -- is secretly watching their every move.

I have been wanting to read this for awhile now and was excited when I finally got the chance to. I Loved it! This is one book that won't disappoint it's readers. There are surprises from beginning to end.

It was extremely hard for me to put down. It seemed as though every time I turned the page, another unexpected twist would occur. I couldn't figure out what would happen to the teens, so I was on the edge the whole time. Honestly, it would totally suck to be caught in a situation like that, especially when you add some escape convicts on top of that...Yikes!!

Courtney and Reyna are two very brave and courageous girls. They never gave up, even after everything they had to endure. Their will to survive was unbreakable.

Packed with action, mystery, and suspence, this is a must read novel!

Book Review: The Dark Divine

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Released: December 22, 2009

Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pages: 372
Series: The Dark Divine #1
Rating: 5 stars

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

Grace just wanted to find out what happened between her brother, Jude, and Daniel that night. But she got so much more than just the answers she was looking for. And so did I!

With twists and turns each flip of a page, I was on my toes the entire time. It was hard for me to put down and it seemed as though I couldn't read it fast enough. I love stories where you can't quite figure things out until its flat-out told to you at the end of a novel. Then once you know, every little detail that was thrown around in the book just clicks and you can't believe you didn't put two and two together sooner. The Dark Divine was one of those stories!

What an intriguing and captivating debut, filled with fantasy, mystery, and action - it will leave you begging for more. I truly hope there will be a sequel to follow because I still have a few unanswered questions and there are even a couple of events (if you've already read this, then you ought to know what I'm talking about) that I would love to see explored.

Waiting on Wednesday (30)

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

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The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Releases: September 16, 2010

Mackie Doyle seems like everyone else in the perfect little town of Gentry, but he is living with a fatal secret - he is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now the creatures under the hill want him back, and Mackie must decide where he really belongs and what he really wants.

A month ago, Mackie might have told them to buzz off. But now, with a budding relationship with tough, wounded, beautiful Tate, Mackie has too much to lose. Will love finally make him worthy of the human world?

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Inconvenient by Margie Gelbwasser

Releases: November 2010

Alyssa Bondar’s world is falling apart. She has just entered her sophomore year at Glenfair High, the only place to hang out is behind the CVS, Keith her cross country crush keeps sending her mixed signals, and her best friend Lana has started the school year with large breasts and a sexy attitude–-attracting the attention of the most popular kids in the school, a group Alyssa clearly doesn’t fit into.

Alyssa’s Jewish, like most of Glenfair, but since she’s also Russian, Alyssa feels even more separated from other teens. How many other Jewish families have a New Year’s tree with ornaments? On top of all this, Alyssa’s once stable home environment has become chaotic.

Alyssa is used to alcohol accompanying every meal and event in the Russian culture. But when Alyssa’s mother loses her job, the usual drink or two changes into a full-time happy hour. While Alyssa's father uses news reports of war unrest in the Middle East as his escape from reality, Alyssa is left to pick up the pieces of her shattered family alone. As her mother’s alcoholism gets worse, Alyssa must decide how much she can and should handle before she crumbles as well.

Book Review: Hate List

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Released: September 1, 2009

Publisher: Little Brown
Pages: 405
Rating: 5 stars

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

Wow! This was one very powerful and very riveting story!

The actual shooting occured in May, but the story begins the following September as Valerie is preparing to head back to school for her senior year. Focusing more on Valerie and the after affects of the shooting, makes Hate List more of a character driven novel and it worked really well for this particular situation. I loved how Brown also incorperated clippings of the newpaper articles from the shooting into the first half of the story as well. Definitely making this a memorable novel, even long after finishing it.

It was quite heartbreaking to read about Valerie's very emotional roller coaster - her struggle with her guilt and trying to understand her true feelings for Nick.

This was a brilliantly written, fantastic debut. A must read!!

In My Mailbox (27)

"In My Mailbox" was started by Kristi from The Story Siren

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Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron -- a futuristic prison, sealed from view, where the descendants of the original prisoners live in a dark world torn by rivalry and savagery. It is a terrifying mix of high technology -- a living building which pervades the novel as an ever-watchful, ever-vengeful character, and a typical medieval torture chamber -- chains, great halls, dungeons. A young prisoner, Finn, has haunting visions of an earlier life, and cannot believe he was born here and has always been here. In the outer world, Claudia, daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, is trapped in her own form of prison -- a futuristic world constructed beautifully to look like a past era, an imminent marriage she dreads. She knows nothing of Incarceron, except that it exists. But there comes a moment when Finn, inside Incarceron, and Claudia, outside, simultaneously find a device -- a crystal key, through which they can talk to each other. And so the plan for Finn's escape is born ...

Boys That Bite (Blood Coven #1) by Mari Mancusi

This is not your typical boybites-girl love story.

Technically Sunshine can't get killed-because she's immortal. Well, not quite yet. Due to the worst case of mistaken identity with her dark-side-loving twin sister at a Goth club called Club Fang, Magnus, a vampire hottie, went for Sunshine's innocent neck. Now if she doesn't reverse it in time, Magnus will be her blood mate forever and she's doomed to be a blood-gulping, pasty, daylight-hating vampire. That would seriously bite.

And now, after the unfortunate slaying of the vampire leader, Sunshine, her sister Rayne, and Magnus must find the one thing that can solve her problem: the Holy Grail. They wish it were a joke but it's not. It's absolutely necessary that Sunshine gets out of this in time, because somehow she scored the hottest prom date in her school, the mouth-watering Jake Wilder. So she just can't be a vampire for the prom-let alone the rest of eternity.

The Long Way Home by Andrew Klavan

Sometimes you have to go home to find out who you really are Charlie West went to bed one night an ordinary high school student. He woke up a hunted man. Terrorists are trying to kill him. The police want to arrest him for the stabbing death of his best friend. He doesn't know whose side he's one or who he can trust. With his pursuers closing in on every side, Charlie makes his way back to his hometown to find some answers. There, holed up in an abandoned mansion, he's joined by his friends in a desperate attempt to discover the truth about a murder he can't remember-and the love he can never forget.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around.

Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be.

YA Buzz

"YA Buzz" is a collection of news relating to the YA genre. This can include, but not limited to: author and book news, new covers, and contects around the blogosphere.

Have something you would like shared? Email me at apassionforbooks@hotmail.com.

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Kiersten White, author of Paranormalcy, shares an excerpt on her blog.


Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler has an official release date: October 18, 2010.

• From back-cover:

"Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world."

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she's been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power - and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

The Witch's Alphabet by Caitlin Kittredge has been re-named to The Iron Thorn. You can read more about it here.


Author Victoria Schwab has a new website, http://www.victoriaschwab.com/.


For those of you attending BEA this year and may have questions, check out this blog tour that is currently running!


Richelle Mead's Georgina Kincaid series are getting makeovers. Succubus Blues will be available in August 2010 with the new cover design.

Recommend Me (3)

"Recommend Me" is a weekly event, hosted by Kate from The Neverending Shelf, in which participants will pick one of their all time favorite reads to share. This could be a book that your read yesterday or years ago.

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The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

In Mary's world, there are simple truths.

The Sisterhood always knows best.

The Guardians will protect and serve.

The Unconsecrated will never relent.

And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.

Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?

This was one fantastic book! To this day, I still can't think of the perfect word to describe the writing. The words just flowed off the pages so smoothly, making The Forest of Hands and Teeth one of the most beautiful and best-written novels I've read. With a mix of action and suspense, it was hard to put the book down just for a moment! I'm eagerly awaiting the companion novel, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and can't wait to see how everything unfolds, especially since the next book will be told through the eyes of Mary's daughter.

You can read my review here.

Waiting on Wednesday (29)

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

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Pretty Bad Things by Claire Skuse

Release Date: March 1, 2010

Sixteen-year old twins in Candy-Store crime spree. Twins, Paisley and Beau Argent are in the headlines again. Last time, they were the 'wonder twins', when as six-year-olds they were found alive in woods after three days missing following their mother's death -three days spent looking for their dad. Now at sixteen, life's not so wonderful. Out-cast and exploited by their money-grabbing grandmother, they're still clueless about their dad's whereabouts. Until they discover an old letter from him. That's when they decide to hit the road - and make headlines again. Holding up fast-food joints might seem extreme but if they can get on the news, and tell their dad they need him, they might get the dream reunion they thought could happen.


What are you waiting on?

New Winners

Some winners from my Shadow Hills bookmark contest haven't contacted me within the 72 hour time limit, therefore, I am drawing 8 new names. The new winners are:

Valorie T.

Yan

Reagan

Danitza

Amber S.

Aye. Me?

Stacie V.

Annie

Winners you have 72 hours to contact me with your address at paranormalfanatic@gmail.com

Book Review: Three Days to Dead

Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding

Released: November 24, 2009

Publisher: Dell
Pages: 405
Series: Dreg City #1
Series: 5 stars

They’ll never see her coming. . . .

When Evangeline Stone wakes up naked and bruised on a cold slab at the morgue—in a stranger’s body, with no memory of who she is and how she got there—her troubles are only just beginning. Before that night she and the two other members of her Triad were the city’s star bounty hunters, mercilessly cleansing the city of the murderous creatures living in the shadows, from vampires to shape-shifters to trolls. Then something terrible happened that not only cost all three of them their lives but also convinced the city’s other Hunters that Evy was a traitor—and she can’t even remember what it was.

Now she’s a fugitive, piecing together her memory, trying to deal some serious justice—and discovering that she has only three days to solve her own murder before the reincarnation spell wears off. Because in three days Evy will die again—but this time there’s no second chance. . . .

I’m a big fan of paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels. Sometimes I find myself wondering if a new author can create a fantasy world with characters that grab my attention and leave an unforgettable impression even after I have long since finished the book.

Three Days to Dead was such a fantastic debut. Kelly Meding created such a complex and gripping world – it was extremely hard for me to even put it down. Evangeline (Evy) Stone is a bounty hunter of all things paranormal who wakes one day in a morgue. Not only is in a morgue, but she wakes in the body of someone else. She has no recollection of how she died or the events leading up to her death. Accused of killing her Triad – her group of bounty hunters – she has been marked as a traitor and is being hunted by those she once trusted. She has only three days to regain her memory, solve her murder, and reveal the secrets that could help save the world.

I must say that Evy is one kick-ass character who keeps her eye on the target and lets nothing stand in her way. She immediately caught my attention with her fierceness and determination to figure out what is going on.

Three Days to Dead is the reason why I love urban fantasy. There’s so much fresh and unique elements involved, creating a memorable world. This debut is full of unexpected twists and should not be missed! I can’t wait until I can get my hands on the second installment, As Lie the Dead.

February Must Haves

(2/1) Albatross by Josie Bloss

(2/1) Numbers by Rachel Ward

(2/1) In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth

(2/1) Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

(2/1) The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

(2/1) Except the Queen by Jane Yolen and Midori Snyder

(2/1) Light Beneath Ferns by Anne Spollen

(2/1) Possessed by Kate Cahn

(2/2) - Dirty Little Secrets by C. J. Omololu

(2/2) The Long Way Home by Andrew Klavan

(2/4) A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

(2/4) My Boyfriend's Dogs by Dandi Daley Mackall

(2/4) Shadow Mirror by Richie Tankersley Cusick


(2/4) The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
(2/9) After by Kristin Harmel


(2/9) Little Miss Red by Robin Palmer
(2/9) The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk


(2/9) First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost
(2/9) Heist Society by Ally Carter


(2/10) The River by Mary Jane Beaufrand
(2/16) Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

(2/23) Hard to Get by Emma Carlson Berne

(2/27) My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray