Waiting on Wednesday (119): REBEL BELLE and THE WINNER'S CURSE

WoW is hosted by Breaking The Spine

Title: REBEL BELLE

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Release: April 8th, 2014

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.

I loved Rachel Hawkins's novels HEX HALL and DEMONGLASS (still need to get the last book, though), so I'm excited for her newest work. This story sounds like it's going to be fun and amusing! Snappy banter, ancient line of guardians, mysterious prophecies...I'm sold.

Title: THE WINNER'S CURSE

Author: Marie Rutkoski

Release: March 4th, 2014

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences.

It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

I highly enjoyed THE SHADOW SOCIETY, so I'm very excited to see what Rutkoski's next novel will be like! It sounds so intriguing. 

What are you waiting on this week?

Covers: POINTE, REBEL BELLE, ASYLUM and more

POINTE and REBEL BELLE

Love! Both are eye-catching in their own ways. 

CRUEL BEAUTY and EVERTRUE

Spiral staircase! Loving the look for both covers! And the red pops!

HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW and NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE YOU

I like both - NOECHY has a charming yet very creepy vibe. 

PERFECT RUIN and AVALON 

Not sure about PR, but I adore AVALON's cover! 

ASYLUM 

(Old cover on left, new cover on right) The new version is going to make one creepy hardcover. I loved the original, but the new version is even more eerie and interesting.

Have you spotted any cool new covers? 

Top (slightly more than) Ten Books When You Need a Light & Fun Read

1.  HEIST SOCIETY and UNCOMMON CRIMINALS by Ally Carter
2.  THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER and ALONG FOR THE RIDE and WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE (and really any other book) by Sarah Dessen
3.  CLARITY by Kim Harrington
4.  THE LIAR SOCIETY by Lisa and Laura Roecker
5.  THE MEDIATOR series by Meg Cabot
6.  THE GHOST AND THE GOTH by Stacey Kade
7.  HEX HALL by Rachel Hawkins
8.  DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT by A and E Kirk
9.  OH MY GODS and SWEET VENOM by Tera Lynn Childs
10.  THE PRINCESS DIARIES series by Meg Cabot

Yes, I cheated. My list has way more than ten books, but I couldn't resist! It was too challenging to choose only ten! ;)

What books do you read when you need something light / fun? 

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Top Ten Books On My Spring To-Be-Read list

TTT is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

1.  Insurgent by Veronica Roth - I'm pretty much counting the days until this one releases, and when it does, it's first on my TBR list.

2.  Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore - Same as above.

3.  The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - Confession: I have never read a Neil Gaiman book. I feel like it's time that I fix that.

4.   Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson - I've left this one sitting on my shelf for a long time. This spring, it will be read.

5.  The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancy - This one seems like an interesting book. Plus, it has a Printz honor, so it must be great.

6.  Blackbringer (Dreamdark #1) by Laini Taylor - I loved Daughter of Smoke & Bone and enjoyed Lips Touch Three Times, so I'm sure I'll enjoy this one too!

7.  Partials by Dan Wells - This is definitely on my TBR list, on my Kindle, and waiting patiently for me to have the time to read.

8.  The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder - Amazing reviews for this one! Hopefully the story lives up to them.

9.  Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins - Anyone remember that cliffhanger from Demonglass? Yeah. That was intense. I'm so curious how this one will turn out.

10.  Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally - Can't go wrong with a contemporary novel :)

What's one book on your spring TBR list?


Images from Goodreads

Top Ten Tuesday (7)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Books I'm Excited To Read in 2012

 

1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth - Is it May yet??? *glares at calendar*
2. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore - I am so crazy excited for this book. I can't wait until a more detailed summary comes out. But, until then, I'll settle for the cool cover with those awesome keys. 

3. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver - No explanation necessary when it comes to a Lauren Oliver book. 
4. Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins - The ending to Demonglass still has me extremely curious to know what happens next for Sophie. Plus, this series is always fun to read. Awesome humor, great mystery. 

5. Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh - Edgar Allan Poe, mystery, intrigue...I'm hoping it's as good as the last book! 
6. The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour - The buzz has been insanely positive for this novel. Plus, it's supposed to be a great book for music fans :)

7. Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard - I've been stalking following Susan's blog for quite a long time, so I'm very excited for her debut! It sounds like it's going to be an exciting read. 

8. Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake - The first book rocked, so I'm curious to see if the sequel will be just as great. And how awesome is that cover?
9. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler - Take Sarah Ockler's writing + hockey boys + romance + plenty of cupcakes. Sounds like a winning combination to me. 
10. The Selection by Kiera Cass - Yes, I picked this one mostly because the cover is so eye-catching. The plot is intriguing too... 

Best of 2011

My 11 Best Books of 2011(in no particular order)
1.  Delirium by Lauren Oliver2.  Clarity by Kim Harrington3.  Divergent by Veronica Roth
4.  Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
5.  Blood Red Road by Moira Young
6.  The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton7.  Across the Universe by Beth Revis8.  Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
9.  The Liar Society by Lisa & Laura Roecker
10.  Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
11. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Best Female Main CharacterKarou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Best Male Main CharacterCas from Anna Dressed in Blood
Funniest Main CharacterSophie from Demonglass
Most Realistic Main CharacterTiki from The Faerie Ring

Best Supporting Male CharacterFour from Divergent
Best Supporting Female CharacterAnna from Anna Dressed in Blood
Most SwoonworthyFour from DivergentRieker from The Faerie Ring
Best HorrorAnna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Best Villain (Orion) from Across the Universe
Best Sci-fi & MysteryAcross the Universe by Beth Revis
Best FantasyDaughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Best DystopianDivergent by Veronica Roth

Best Romance & WritingDelirium by Lauren Oliver
Best HistoricalBetween Shades of Gray by Ruta SepetysThe Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
Best ContemporaryRival by Sara Bennett WealerMoonglass by Jessi Kirby

Best Verse NovelThe Day Before by Lisa Schroeder

Best Ending to a Series/TrilogyThe Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum
Best SequelUncommon Criminals by Ally CarterDemonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Most UniqueBlood Red Road by Moira Young

Most SurprisingAnna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

 

Best Cover of 2011Possession by Elana JohnsonAcross the Universe by Beth Revis

The Must-Read Book of 2011Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Considering the amount of ties I gave (seriously, it was so hard to narrow it down!), I'd say 2011 was an epic book year. 
What was one of the best books you read in 2011?

Waiting on Wednesday (times two!)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

Spell Bound

by Rachel Hawkins

Release: March 13th, 2012

Summary:  

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident. 

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

So cannot wait, especially after the cliffhanger at the end of Demonglass! I'm glad the cover theme is still the same too, it'll look great next to the previous titles... 

***

Born Wicked
by Jessica Spotswood
Release: February 17th, 2012
Summary:

Cate Cahill and her sisters are considered eccentric bluestockings—a little odd, a little unfashionable, and far too educated for their own good. The truth is more complicated; they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it could mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave. Before their mother died, she entrusted Cate with keeping them safe and keeping everyone, including their father, in the dark about their powers. When her father employs a governess and Cate begins to receive notes from her missing, presumed-mad godmother, her task becomes much more difficult. As Cate searches for answers in banned books and rebellious new friends, she must juggle unwanted proposals, tea parties, and an illicit attraction to the new gardener. Cate will do anything to protect her sisters, but at what cost to herself?

Can you tell I'm a sucker for magic and witch stories? This one is most definitely high on my wishlist :)

What are you waiting on?

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass (Hex Hall #2)
Rachel Hawkins 

March 1st, 2011

368 pages (hardcover)

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Source: Publicist

Summary:

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth. 

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers. 

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

Hawkins weaves her magic once again in Demonglass, which doesn't fail to shine brightly and stand out in comparison to the first novel - if anything, it may be even better than the first book.

Sophie is as hilarious and endearing as ever, even when she's freaking out about her chaotic powers (among other issues in her life). But hey, at least she gets to hang out in London with her best friend Jenna while she waits to make her final decision regarding the Removal. A few new characters make an appearance, although we the reader don't get to know too much about them - except for the fact that they aren't too different from Sophie in certain aspects. Cal's more present in this story too, and I loved that he was around more - he is officially awesome. Besides, who needs Archer when you've got Cal?

But life can't just be easy for Sophie. The Eye is out to get her, at any cost. Not to mention  that she's discovering some very intriguing secrets...and the revelations will shock and surprise.  If you love magic, mysteries, and endings that leave you breathless, get busy on Hex Hall, because you don't want to miss out on Demonglass. After reading Demonglass, I'm tempted to hunt down Hawkins and demand the third book immediately (but then she'd probably call the police...so there goes that plan). 

Highlights: Unlike a good amount of sequels, Demonglass doesn't get caught in a "sequel slump" -- where the book just doesn't compare or live up to the previous novel -- Demonglass had that same spark it's predecessor had, and Sophie is still very much her sassy and humorous self. She doesn't make ridiculously stupid decisions, like some sequel heroines do. The humor is there, the mystery and romance lingering in every chapter...it captured my attention fully and completely, and the ending definitely left me excited for the third novel. Hawkins managed to do something else only a great author can do - she made me care about the characters. By the time I reached the end, I was panicking and worrying for some of them. These characters are just so wonderful, I can't get enough of them. 

Lowlights: But, I won't lie, there were some moments of "come on and get going already" in Demonglass. Not enough to bother me too much, though. 

Rating:  4.5 out of 5

In My Mailbox 48

For Review:

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

My Life, The Theater, and Other Tragedies by Allen Zadoff

Birthday Gifts (Printed Books):

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Chime by Franny Billingsley

Birthday Gifts/Giftcard (Kindle eBooks):

The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker (Review)

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale ($1.99 wherever eBooks are sold)

Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer (Review)

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard 

Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley 

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Agency: A Spy in the House by YS Lee

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Rachel Hawkins/Sarwat Chadda's Tour Stop:

Won a book bag w/ the covers of Demonglass and Dark Goddess on it! Who knew asking questions could bring about a cool reward?

(And I got my copies of Hex Hall + Demonglass signed!)

From Pretty Little Liars "A":

Small clover plant

Thank you to Jennifer from Goodman Media, ABC Family, my family, as well as a big thanks to those of you who left sweet birthday messages on my Facebook page!