Spring Fling Giveaway

Giveaway time! Again! Yay! I must have gone crazy, what with the spring and all. Anyway! Thanks to Kathy over at I am a Reader, not a Writer, and to Eve's Fan Garden for hosting this. And I'm also close to hitting 1000 followers (well, much closer than I ever dared to hope) so that means... thank you too! 

But I know the thing you actually care about is the prize, right? So, what's up for grabs this time? I like to think it's a good selection. Here, check it out. 

One International Winner can claim One Title from my Selection

 

If you don't like those titles, you can always pick a book of your choice of about the same value from Book Depository (those are under 10€), as long as it's Young Adult. 

So, to enter, just fill the rafflecopter form below. Afterwards, hop on to the other participating blogs. Best of lucks!

Review: The Genius and the Muse, by Elizabeth Hunter

Author: Elizabeth Hunter

Title: The Genius and the Muse

ISBN: (not available yet)

Publisher: E. Hunter (2nd May 2012)

Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.

Buy your copy: (Links not yet available)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Kate Mitchell knew what she wanted: to finish her degree from Foothill Art Institute and break into the art world on her own terms. Just when she thinks she has it all figured out, new insight into a mysterious photograph by her artistic idol will lead her on a journey through the past.

A photograph. A painting. Lost dreams and secret pain. One clue leads to another, and Kate learns that pieces of the past might leave marks on her own future, leading to a love she never could have predicted. 

One portrait may hold the answers, but learning its secrets will challenge everything Kate thought she knew about love, art, and life. A single picture can tell more than one story. In the end, a young artist will discover that every real love story is a unique work of art." GoodReads’ blurb

So! You know I don’t usually read much contemporary. This is an adult contemporary, and I’m writing the review even though it didn’t come through my usual “for-review” channels (which means, it’s not an obligation but a choice). Knowing that, can you even begin to understand how much I love this book?

This is a story about people and about love, interwoven with an artistic background. It’s a perfect fit. People are complex; they have this very, very complex reactions and this deep, unexplainable feeling that is love. It’s something so far from our rational understanding that it becomes magic. And art is the perfect way to describe that: a collage of shapes and light and shadows, evoking and inspiring and changing us even when we’re not realizing it. And because this powerful feeling, this relationship, is perfectly captured in the Genius and the Muse, the novel itself becomes moving and touching and powerful.

For me, achieving such a thing through a novel is nothing short of magic.

And there’s something else: we won’t just read about yet another picture perfect romance. Through the different characters (there are two main couples, really) and the plot progression, we’ll see perfection, and broken despair, and blooming tenderness... and that the end doesn’t have to be the end, not when it was bound to be so much more.

Frankly? If you enjoy contemporary at all, you must read this. Even if you don’t, as long as you enjoy romance and solid, fascinating characters doing one of the best jobs ever at portraying deep emotions, you should read this.

Showers of Books Giveaway

Giveaway time! And the theme is soooo good - over here, we're having showers! Rain, hail, snow... You name it. But! Anyway. It's time to share the love. Thanks to I am a reader, not a writer, and One a day YA for hosting this event!

And yeah, I'll shut up now and let you know what the prize is. Ready?

Review: The Immortal Rules, by Julie Kagawa

Author: Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules

Series: Blood of Eden (#1)

ISBN: 9780373210510

Publisher: Harlequin Teen (April 24^th 2012)

Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.

Buy your copy: Kindle (upcoming) | Hardcover

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for." GoodReads’ blurb

So, you know I love vampires. I also love zombie apocalypses, even though I don’t read enough books on the topic. The Immortal Rules was an exciting mixture of the two, and I really loved it!

I have to admit that at first, I read the word “distopia” and got worried. I’ve said before that I don’t particularly enjoy the genre. However, I shouldn’t have worried – because there was that whole zombie thing that I wasn’t expecting. Okay, it’s not zombies strictly speaking. They’re rabids, a kind of maddened vampires that loom outside the huge vampire cities and attack anything they can get their hands on—which makes them sound a lot like good old zombies in my book.

Review: Moonstone, by Marilee Brothers

Author: Marilee Brothers

Title: Moonstone

Series: Unbidden Magic (#1)

ISBN: 9780980245349

Publisher: Bell Bridge Books (August 1^st 2008)

Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.

Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“MOONSTONE A Fictionwise Fantasy bestseller Young Adult A sickly mom. A tiny house trailer. High school bullies and snarky drama queens. Bad-guy dudes with charming smiles. Allie has problems. And then there's that whole thing about fulfilling a magical prophecy and saving the world from evil. Geez. Welcome to the sad, funny, sometimes-scary world of fifteen-year-old Allie Emerson, who's struggling to keep her and her mom's act together in the small-town world of Peacock Flats, Washington. An electrical zap from a TV antenna sets off Allie's weird psychic powers. The next thing she knows she's being visited by a hippy-dippy guardian angel, and then her mysterious neighbor, the town "witch," gives her an incredible moonstone pendant that has powers only a good-hearted "Star Seeker" is meant to command. "Who, me?" is Allie's first reaction. But as sinister events begin to unfold, Allie realizes she's got a destiny to live up to. If she can just survive everyday life, in the meantime.” GoodReads’ blurb

Note: I’ve got this one from the publisher via NetGalley, in a special reviewer pack with the whole series. This review is just about the first book, Moonstone.

If I had to describe Moonstone with one word, I’d use “okay”. Which is good, because it does its job of entertaining the reader, but is also bad because it means there were no remarkable things to write about.

Trailer reveal: Taste, by Kate Evangelista

Today we have one superexciting event: we’re part of the trailer reveal for Taste, an upcoming YA Paranormal that I, for one, am dying to read! What, you haven’t heard of Taste, by Kate Evangelista? It’s okay, we can fix that... Here, let me introduce you to the gorgeous cover and intriguing blurb before you watch the trailer:

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

You want to read it too, right? Then it’s lucky day, because we have a excerpt right after the trailer! Ready? Here it is!

Review: Slippery Souls, by Rachel H. Dixon

Author: Rachel H. Dixon

Title: Slippery Souls

Series: Sunray Bay (#1)

ISBN: 9781908481214

Publisher: FeedARead (December 24^th 2011)

Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.

Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“Libby has hit a bad patch in life, and just when she thinks things can’t get any worse she's killed in a car accident alongside her dog Rufus. During their transition to the afterlife’s Sunray Bay, Rufus somehow manages to absorb her soul – which, in turn, gives him human-like qualities and renders her soulless.

Accompanied by her now talking dog, Libby tries to unravel the mystery of her slippery soul, encountering many setbacks and dilemmas along the way. She has no idea why a group of monster slayers, headed by an ex-convict, are hunting her down, and when she teams up with rogue Peace & Order Maintenance Officer, Grim, she’s shocked to discover that there’s a mob of disgruntled vampires and a very angry mayor hot on their heels too.

Libby has never felt so unpopular, and begins to wonder whether it’s possible to die twice in one day... ” GoodReads’ blurb

I finished reading this book a couple of days ago and I’m still not sure how I feel about it... It was so different!

Remembrance Gift Pack

Look what I got in the mail! I was soooo happy! There's just the mask left to arrive... I can't wait! Thanks so much, Michelle!

Cover reveal: The Genius and the Muse, by Elizabeth Hunter

So! Today I bring you the cover of Elizabeth's new contemporary romance, The Genius and the Muse. It'll be released in May 2012 - and I can't wait for it to be out! From the amazing author of the Elemental Mysteries comes... 

"Kate Mitchell knew what she wanted: to finish her degree from Foothill Art Institute and break into the art world on her own terms. Just when she thinks she has it all figured out, new insight into a mysterious photograph by her artistic idol will lead her on a journey through the past. 

A photograph. A painting. Lost dreams and secret pain. One clue leads to another, and Kate learns that pieces of the past might leave marks on her own future, leading to a love she never could have predicted. 

One portrait may hold the answers, but learning its secrets will challenge everything Kate thought she knew about love, art, and life. A single picture can tell more than one story. And in the end, a young artist will discover that every real love story is a unique work of art."

Isn't it promising? Well, a little birdie told me it gets even better... 

Add it to your shelf on GoodReads

Review: Grave Mercy, by Robin LaFevers

Author: Robin LaFevers

Title: Grave Mercy

Series: His Fair Assassin (#1)

ISBN: 9780547628349

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (April 3^rd 2012)

Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.

Buy your copy: Hardcover (Also avaiable in Kindle and Audible formats)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? “ GoodReads’ blurb

There’s just one complain I have about this book: I’m going to have to wait a whole year to read its sequel.

Yes, it’s that amazing and I could leave it at that – but then I’d not be reviewing it, and Grave Mercy deserves only the best. I’ll try my hand at doing it justice.

Review: Reaper, by Rachel Vincent

Author: Rachel Vincent

Title: Reaper

Series: Soul Screamers (#3.5)

ISBN: 9781426875755

Publisher: Harlequin Teen (December 1^st 2010)

Buy your copy: Kindle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred.

Suddenly Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life... Death... or something Between....

An ebook exclusive Soul Screamers series novella.” GoodReads’ blurb

This is a short one, standing at around 60 pages, so I’m going to keep the review short as well. Besides, there’s not much to say, other than wallow on my Tod-love.

He’s my favorite character in this series, so I was so happy to see his own story... I liked his bad-boy attitude in book one, loved his determination and his drive to do what it takes in book two, was delighted by his reaction to the whole Nash-is-a-jerk debacle in book 3, and Reaper didn’t disappoint, not at all.

Review: City of Glass, by Cassandra Clare

Author: Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Glass

Series: The Mortal Instruments (#3)

ISBN: 9781416914303

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (March 24^th 2009)

Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback | Hardcover

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments.” GoodReads’ blurb

I really, really liked City of Glass. It was not as brand-new and shiny as City of Bones, and it was not as dark and emotional as City of Ashes, but I still enjoyed it. Explaining the why might prove to be more difficult, though.

Review: Infinite Sacrifice, by L.E. Waters

Author: L.E. Waters

Title: Infinite Sacrifice

Series: Infinite (#1)

ISBN: 9780983911

Publisher: Rock Castle Pusblishing (October 21^st 2011)

Disclaimer: Copy received for review purposes.

Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“Maya’s shocked to discover it’s not the heaven she imagined;in fact, a life of adventure begins the moment you die.

Zachariah, her faithful spirit guide, explains the rules of the dead: in order to regain complete awareness and reunite with loved ones all souls must review their previous lives.

Maya plunges warily into her turbulent pasts as a sociopathic High Priest in ancient Egypt; an independent mother protecting a dangerous secret in glorious Sparta; an Irish boy kidnapped and enslaved by Vikings; and a doctor’s wife forced to make an ethical stand in plague-ridden England.

All the while, Maya yearns to be with those she cares about most and worries that she hasn’t learned all of heaven’s most vital lessons. Will she be forced to leave the tranquility of heaven to survive yet another painful and tumultuous life? Or worse, accept the bitter reality of having to go back alone?” GoodReads’ blurb

This is not the first reincarnation romance I’ve read, but it’s the first with this unique approach. L.E. Waters placed some high bets in writing this piece, and I think that, for the most part, they’ve paid off.

This first volume is a bit like a collection of short stories, with each story being one of the main character’s previous lives. To be honest, I was blown by the level of detail each  incarnation was given. If I expected anything like your usual star-crossed lovers who have to fight through time to be together... boy, was I wrong.

Review: My Soul to Keep, by Rachel Vincent

Author: Rachel Vincent

Title: My Soul to Keep

Series: Soul Screamers (#3)

ISBN: 9780373210053

Publisher: Harlequin (June 1^st 2012)

Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.Until something does.Demon breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.And so is someone else…” GoodReads’ blurb

I finished this book ages ago, but I had to sit down and take a deep breath, or I’d write a rant-view instead of a review. I mean, yes, the world is still interesting. I still enjoy the myth behind it all.

But Kaylee and Nash were so infuriating! So much so, that I’ve written a review with spoilers. So, you’ve been warned.