Giveaway Winners!

I really don't have much to say other than I am excited to congratulate the winners of my first giveaway!

Congrats Layla on winning the signed copy of Crewel and the bookmark with a dog reading!

Also, congrats to Dee  on winning the copy of Altered and the puppy bookmark!

I hope you two enjoy your winnings I will email you both to confirm and get any information I need! Thank you to everyone who entered and good luck next time!

Stacking The Shelves

I know what you are thing, I am equally astounded that I actually a) got new books and b) am posting a stacking the shelves on time. (I may be slightly proud of myself. Though I don't quite have enough hubris to pat myself on the back, I did however smirk proudly to myself while writing this) I actually got quite a few books this week so I am really excited to share! Thank you Liberty Bay Books for the haul!

                                                Kindness for Weakness
A fifteen-year-old boy from an abusive home desperately seeking his older brother's love and approval starts pushing drugs for him and suffers the consequences.

I have seriously considered becoming a social worker and have always been interested in social and domestic issues, so naturally this concept struck me as well as the title and the boy's vulnerable pose on the cover. Heart strings will be tugged at I am sure. I can't wait to read it and I hope it is everything I want it to be!

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through Liberty Bay Books by selecting the hyper-linked title!

Pulse

The year is 2051, and the world is still recognizable. With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.

In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters so powerful they will flatten their enemies by uprooting street lights, moving boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with great talent, the mind—and the heart—can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.

I picked this one for many reasons: a) it sounds like it has the capacity to be really epic and intense! (Who doesn't love epic and intense?) b) it had a sticky note in it from a fellow blogger and affiliate that was filled with good things to say about it. c) I vaguely remembered seeing it in a library or something and wanting to read it a while back. 

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through LBB by clicking the title above!

                                                Expiration Day

What happens when you turn eighteen and there are no more tomorrows?
It is the year 2049, and humanity is on the brink of extinction….

Tania Deeley has always been told that she’s a rarity: a human child in a world where most children are sophisticated androids manufactured by Oxted Corporation. When a decline in global fertility ensued, it was the creation of these near-perfect human copies called teknoids that helped to prevent the utter collapse of society.

Though she has always been aware of the existence of teknoids, it is not until her first day at The Lady Maud High School for Girls that Tania realizes that her best friend, Siân, may be one. Returning home from the summer holiday, she is shocked by how much Siân has changed. Is it possible that these changes were engineered by Oxted? And if Siân could be a teknoid, how many others in Tania’s life are not real?

Driven by the need to understand what sets teknoids apart from their human counterparts, Tania begins to seek answers. But time is running out. For everyone knows that on their eighteenth “birthdays,” teknoids must be returned to Oxted—never to be heard from again.

Ok, so, this one I am a little hesitant about. It sounds rather weird. However, it also sounds like it could be really good. (Can't you just smell the potential through your screen?) So...I guess we shall see. Yay for stepping outside your comfort zone! (It really doesn't feel like a yay at the time. This better be good.) 

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through LBB by clicking the purple title above!

Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy

Marina is born of privilege. Her mother, Sveta, is the Soviet Union's prima ballerina: an international star handpicked by the regime. But Sveta is afflicted with a mysterious second sight and becomes obsessed with exposing a horrific state secret. Then she disappears. 
 
Fearing for their lives, Marina and her father defect to Brooklyn. Marina struggles to reestablish herself as a dancer at Juilliard. But her enigmatic partner, Sergei, makes concentration almost impossible, as does the fact that Marina shares her mother's “gift,” and has a vision of her father’s murder at the hands of the Russian crooks and con artists she thought they'd left behind.  
 
Now Marina must navigate the web of intrigue surrounding her mother's disappearance, her ability, and exactly whom she can—and can't—trust.

Speaking of stepping out side my comfort zone and being hesitant... 
I honestly haven't read this or even considered it because I take one look at the cover and the title and think "Could this possibly be anymore stupid? This sounds terrible." Reading the synopsis didn't exactly change that and quite honestly I have no clue as to why I decided to read it. But I guess I did so, yet again we shall see. I am trying to keep an open mind...

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through LBB by clicking the title above!

                                                           Hunted
Terror stalks a small Virginia town.

FBI rising star, criminal profiler Evelyn Baine, knows how to think like a serial killer. But she's never chased anyone like the Bakersville Burier, who hunts young women and displays them, half-buried, deep in the woods. As the body count climbs, Evelyn's relentless pursuit of the killer puts her career - and her life - at risk. And the evil lurking in the Burier's mind may be more than even she can unravel.

Terror is closer than she thinks.

The Bakersville Burier knows he's got an FBI profiler on his trail. He knows who she is and where to find her. And he's biding his time, because he's planned a special punishment for Evelyn. She may have tracked other killers, but he vows to make this her last chase. This time it's her turn to be hunted!

If you haven't already figured this out about me I am fascinated by all things twisted, disturbed, and/or psycho, (if that makes me just a little twisted, disturbed, and/or psycho I am totally ok with that!) and I love law enforcement and detective type stuff. This book promises all my favorite things! Plus, a whole lot of chills and thrills and who doesn't love a little of that!

Add it to Goodreads and buy it through LBB by clicking the purple title!

Make up Teaser

So, in all the chaos of new year's eve and life and all that I didn't have time to post a Teaser Tuesday but here is the make up teaser!

"Shivers racked her in waves. Whoever he was he had planned his attack carefully." -pg. 92 Hunted by Elisabeth Heiter

Add it to Goodreads and buy it through Liberty Bay Books by clicking =>Hunted.

*This quote was taken from an uncorrected proof and may be subject to change*

Ringing in the new year!

It's a brand new year! Welcome 2014! And as promised here are 14 books I am looking forward to reading in 2014! (They aren't in any particular order. Sorry!)

The Impossible Knife of Memory

                              Kindness for Weakness

The Scar Boys

Pulse

Expiration Day

Impostor: A Variants Novel

The Retribution of Mara Dyer

Sweet Reckoning

Linked

control

In the After

When We Wake

The Dream Thieves

The Replacement

I can't wait to get started! My new stack of ARCs from Liberty Bay Books is a great way to kick it all off! Thank you Liberty Bay and thank you to all of my family, friends, and readers for all of your support! You've made this year awesomesauce! My bookish resolution is to read more since I haven't been reading as much as I have wanted to lately. 

What books are you excited to read this year? What are your bookish resolutions? 

Best of 2013

Well, the time has almost come. We are so close to saying goodbye to 2013 for good. It has been a fun year with its fair share of ups and downs as with any year. So to finish out the year and bid it a fond farewell here is a list of my top 13 reads of 2013. It counts down to the very best book I read this year. Buy the books through Liberty Bay Books by clicking the titles and add them on Goodreads by selecting the hyper-linked words in the cover captions.

13 Envy by Greg Olson

See me on Goodreads!

 It was masterfully plotted and kept the reader hooked and guessing throughout the entire story. Greg had a very detached, tell it like it is, writing style but it seemed to work well for the story and it still allowed for a vibrant and deep projection of emotions. The characters were not very deep or well developed but the story wrapped you up and pulled you in and you couldn't help but love every second of it. It was a good read and one of my favorites by years end but was far from the best thing I read. 

12 Touched by Corrine Jackson

See me on Goodreads!

Touched has an original story line and well executed plot and was extremely vivid. The characters and writing were sturdy. It was a simply enchanting read that was well worth my time. I am so excited to read the rest of the series to find out what happens next. 

11 The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

See me on Goodreads!

I struggled with where to place this one because I felt it was much better than 12 and 13 but I simply couldn't place it with the other books higher up on the list because on a technical level it was simple no match for the others. However, this tale was lovely and I highly recommend it for a wide variety of ages and personalities. It had a sturdy plot and strong enough writing with vivid characters. Victoria spins a vibrant whimsical and entrancing story that comes to life on the pages before you and grabs hold of you, not letting go until the very last word. 








10 The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

See me on Goodreads!

The first book in this series was my top book of 2012 and so I had high hopes for this book. Rae does a fabulous job with everything. She has beautiful technique. The story is wonderfully crafted and a brilliant fallow up to Girl of Fire and Thorns. However, The Crown of Embers fell short in comparison to the first book. It was entertaining and brilliant nonetheless. 












9 Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

See me on Goodreads!

I am a huge fan of Wendy and her sweet trilogy. So naturally the second in the series made it onto my list of top books. She has reliable and good writing and plot structure. Additionally, she has nearly mastered the art of character development and growth. Her characters are deep, vivid, and above all human. They are some of the most realistic, human, well rounded/balanced characters I have read and they infuse life into the story giving it a vibrancy it wouldn't otherwise have . It has an intriguing and unique story line that will keep readers' minds churning as they read and even after its over or has been set aside. 

8  Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

See me on Goodreads! 

This is yet another instance of the first book being breathtakingly awesomesauce and then the fallow up just not packing the same punch. It was fabulous but it just wasn't quite as good. It had a slippery plot (in a good way) that was complex but well executed and the writing had brilliant descriptions and conveyed surging and complicated emotions. The characters were complex as well and had dimension and depth. It was good but it had its fair share of flaws as with any book.









7 Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

See me on Goodreads!

Wow! I'm starting to sound like a bit like a broken record here! Yet again this book was one of those that was striking but just shy of the level of the first one. Both were amazing nonetheless. Girl of nightmares is thrilling and chilling but will tug at your heartstrings on an entirely different emotional plane. The story is gripping and backed with strong research and the plot is masterfully executed with twists, turns, and plenty of suspense. The characters are a mix of personalities that are simply charming. 








6  Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

See me on Goodreads!

And of course at number 6 is the brilliant Under The Never Sky. Not exactly surprising since book two made it on. It was even better than the second book and Veronica did a wonderful job. I loved it for many of the same reasons I loved Through The Ever Night and I highly recommend it. (See my full review of Under The Never Sky here.)

5 Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

See me on Goodreads!

At number 5 we have Anna Dressed In Blood. It was to die for. (Sorry I simply couldn't resist!) Kendare handles every aspect of the story with vibrancy and fluidity. It has just the right amount of thrill and it grabs you from the very start. It is one of those books you can't seem to put down and finish in one sitting. The characters are charming and you can't help but feel apart of their lives and apart of the story. It is a must read. 











4 Allegiant by Veronica Roth

See me on Goodreads!

It's probably not that surprising that Allegiant made the list and is not just on the list but in my top 5. I loved it and Veronica did an amazing job as usual. The ending was killer and nothing was as it seemed. However, I had some issues with loose ends and random additions throughout and for some reason I can't quite determine it was my least favorite of the trilogy. I still loved it though! I mean how could I not? And every needs to read the trilogy. Read my full reviews of Divergent and Allegiant. Oh, and Divergent is so close to coming out in theaters! (I have mixed feelings on this the previews haven't left me with high hopes but I'm crossing my fingers that it will be as awesomesauce as the book!)

3 Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevive Tucholke

See me on Goodreads!

I am still fangirling and spilling feels all over about this book. I would probably marry it if that was a thing. The writing style was so weird but it worked so well! I have honestly never read anything like April's writing, but she had amazing descriptions and the weird and old style fit the book amazingly. I am still in awe of April's work. The plot was amazing and had twists that I did not see coming. It kept you guessing and kept you wanting more even after it was all over. There is nothing else like this book out there. I can not emphasize enough how absolutely imperative it is that you read this book. For more fangirling and a slightly deeper review click here! 

2 Oblivion by Sasha Dawn

See me on Goodreads!

If you haven't read my full review of Oblivion you can by clicking here. I just gushed, simply gushed, Sasha did a marvelous job and made Oblivion into one intense, feels packed ride. You could tell from the details that she had really done her research. The characters were stunningly human and the plot was killer.  I can not recommend this enough so remember it when it comes out in may! 











1 The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

See me on Goodreads!

Well congrats! You've made it to the best book that I read in 2013! Surprisingly, it is a vampire book. (I am nearly stunned speechless myself.) But it is so far from any vampire book I've ever come upon. This is a whole new world and Holly has done a masterful job of creating it and bringing it to life before her readers very eyes. The plot is stellar and the characters slippery,confused, and complicated, yet endearing none the less. Of course I highly recommend it. Read my full review here. 

So that is my list of the best things I've read this year. It was a tough job trying to decide where to place books and to cut it down to 13. The top four I struggled and flip flopped on for way longer than you can imagine and honestly the top 3 or 4 were pretty much tied, but I had to make some decisions. I hope you've enjoyed this. And keep a look out for a new years post of the 14 books I can't wait to lead as I plunge into 2014!

Comment below! What were some of your favorite reads this year? What bookish and exciting things do you look back on fondly from this past year? 

Stacking The Shelves Make up

First off, I apologize for not posting Stacking The Shelves the past few weeks but I just haven't gotten anything new! I have such a large stack of books that I need to read and just haven't had time for lately that I have been focusing on catching up and finishing all of those before the new year and before I obtain any new ones. However, I made an exception...

Pushed

Corrine Jackson

As a bit of an experiment, I used what was left from a birthday iTunes gift card to purchase this as an audio book. This surprised myself as well as my family because I regularly rant about my deep hatred for audio books because of the voices of the readers and how dialog is handled. In fact, I was ranting to a friend about that just a few hours before buying this. But, I decided that having an audio book would be convenient in many situations and work well for me since I am constantly multitasking. So I am keeping an open mind and giving it a go. I am very excited for this! I read the first one Touched and absolutely loved it and now I am finally getting around to the second one!

Buy it through Liberty Bay Books by clicking the hyper-linked title and add it on Goodreads!

How Great Women Lead: A Mother-Daughter Adventure into the Lives of Women Shaping the World

Bonnie St. John and Darcy Deane 

Now this book is a bit different and I probably won't be reviewing it or anything, but it looks to be an interesting read all the same. Big thank you shout out and bear hugs to my sister and my brother-in-law for giving this to me as part of my Christmas gift from them! It has my curiosity and interest piqued!

Buy it through Liberty Bay Books by clicking the hyper-linked title and add it on Goodreads! 

Oblivion

Oblivion

Oblivion 

by Sasha Dawn

Coming May 27th, 2014

(Thank you Liberty Bay Books for the ARC!)

One year ago, Callie was found in an abandoned apartment, scrawling words on the wall: "I KILLED HIM. His blood is on my hands. His heart is in my soul. I KILLED HIM." But she remembers nothing of that night or of the previous thirty-six hours. All she knows is that her father, the reverend at the Church of the Holy Promise, is missing, as is Hannah, a young girl from the parish. Their disappearances have to be connected and Callie knows that her father was not a righteous man.

Since that fateful night, she's been plagued by graphomania -- an unending and debilitating compulsion to write. The words that flow from Callie's mind and through her pen don't seem to make sense -- until now. As the anniversary of Hannah's vanishing approaches, more words and memories bubble to the surface and a new guy in school might be the key to Callie putting together the puzzle. But digging up the secrets she's buried for so long might be her biggest mistake. 

I think this is probably the most excited I have been to write a review in a while! I finished My Life Next Door before I even started this book however my feelings were so mixed and neutral towards it I have decided not to review it because I really didn't feel one way or another towards it and I don't know what I would even write in a review for it. Oblivion however, dang. I have plenty to say and I have plenty of feels to express! So get ready for this folks it's going to be quite the review...

Can I just start off mentioning that this is a "psychological thriller." I think we need to pause for a moment to take note of the fact that this is two of the best things ever combined into one awesomesauce book. Ok that was a good moment, I just needed to establish that. Now here we go, story line. It was original and stunning. It hooked you and kept you hooked all the way through. The story line and the characters were surprisingly relateable despite the wholly unrelateable scenario. The emotions were strong, vivid, real and relateable. We all know what it's like to have inner family issues, to have issues with teachers and staff at school occasionally because of something we can't even control, or to have people not believe you, and treat you differently because of something that makes us different and is beyond out control. The viscous rumors, the complicated relationships and family/friend drama, all of these little things are the things that make such a horrid and surreal scenario feel real, realateable, and like it could happen to us or our loved ones someday. And that just adds to the thrill and creepiness of the story. The character development wasn't overwhelmingly strong or obvious, but it was enough, it worked for the story and played out nicely enough. Callie was lovable, in fact despite some major flaws and screw ups, almost all the characters made you just love them, from John/Jon and Callie to Elijah, Lindsay and Serena. They were well balanced between flaws and goodness and had real and strong emotions, connections, relationships and roles. And yes, there was a love triangle however for once I loved, LOVED, the love triangle! Crazy I know, but here is why: 1) It made sense it was logical that she was torn because of the sticky situation she was in. 2) It actually enhanced the story in my opinion and added vivid emotions that fit into the story that then enhanced and deepened your understanding of Callie, her thoughts and emotions, her situation, and what it everything was like for her. 3) It didn't distract or take away from the story at all and it didn't feel like it was just thrown in there to be thrown in. 4) It felt like if you took out the love triangle then the book just simply wouldn't be as good and the whole thing would just fall apart and make no sense with out it. Like you couldn't even have the same plot line or resolution if the love triangle hadn't been a factor. 5) It was wrapped up realistically, logically, and beautifully. 6) It enhanced each character that was involved and added to their depth and development. So yeah I approve this love triangle. The plot was killer! It was well paced and kept you guessing the entire time. Honestly, there was never a single point in the book where I felt like I knew what was going to happen let alone was actually right about how something was going to play out or how things were connected. Actually, I take that back there was one thing, but for the most part, like 99.9% of the time I had no idea. It was amazing. Oblivion was one of those books where the plot had you hooked and the characters had you in love and just everything was so vivid and crazy that you simply couldn't bear the thought of putting it down. I read it in one sitting. The writing was really good. It was clear and had great descriptions. Sasha is amazingly skilled, with the stunning and complex plot, beautifully handled and developed characters, and she handled the graphomania with amazing skill., depth, and detail, you could tell she had really, really done her research. And she managed to slip in amazing statements, messages, and themes about society, social life, life as a teen, and just life in general! Oblivion was fabulous, Sasha was awesomesauce and I admire her work and skills. This book is 5 out of 5 stars hands down with my highest recommendation and I can't wait to read more of Sasha's work. It is one of the best books I have read and a must, must read! Buy it through Liberty Bay Books by clicking the hyper-linked title under the cover and add it on Goodreads.