Giveaway: LOCKSTEP by Karl Schroeder

Lockstep by Karl Schroeder 352 Pages Release Date: March 25th, 2014  Publisher: Tor Books Genre: Sci-fi Level: YA 
Goodreads Summary: When seventeen-year-old Toby McGonigal finds himself lost in space, separated from his family, he expects his next drift into cold sleep to be his last. After all, the planet he’s orbiting is frozen and sunless, and the cities are dead. But when Toby wakes again, he’s surprised to discover a thriving planet, a strange and prosperous galaxy, and something stranger still—that he’s been asleep for 14,000 years.
Welcome to the Lockstep Empire, where civilization is kept alive by careful hibernation. Here cold sleeps can last decades and waking moments mere weeks. Its citizens survive for millennia, traveling asleep on long voyages between worlds. Not only is Lockstep the new center of the galaxy, but Toby is shocked to learn that the Empire is still ruled by its founding family: his own.
Toby’s brother Peter has become a terrible tyrant. Suspicious of the return of his long-lost brother, whose rightful inheritance also controls the lockstep hibernation cycles, Peter sees Toby as a threat to his regime. Now, with the help of a lockstep girl named Corva, Toby must survive the forces of this new Empire, outwit his siblings, and save human civilization.
Karl Schroeder's Lockstep is a grand innovation in hard SF space opera.

Cover Reveals: Afterworlds, Threats of Sky and Sea, My Not So Super Sweet Life & MORE

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

ADD TO GOODREADS 

Simple yet intense and I love the teardrop/half of an hourglass shaped thing :P
And the tagline definitely gives a mysterious feel to the book too 

Getting By by Claudia Y. Burgoa {Excerpt+Giveaway}

Getting By (A Knight’s Tale I) by Claudia Y. Burgoa
Release Date: February 18th. 2014
Level: NA (New Adult)

Synopsis:
When Emma Anderson arrived at San Francisco International Airport, she regretted accepting the distinction of being the maid of honor to Gaby’s—her childhood friend—wedding. It had been years since the last time she set foot in Menlo Park, where her parents had been killed. The rug where she had been shoving her feelings since that day looked bumpier than a camel’s hump. Who could blame her; if she hadn’t been selfish they’d still be around. Ever since that fateful day, Emma has been perfecting the knack of Getting By.

Cade’s wedding in Menlo Park—a city close to San Francisco—might be the perfect place for Jake Knight to shake the memories of his ex, Emma Anderson for good. Single, available women galore for an entire week was the perfect medication, one he intended to take three times a day for an entire week to return to his player days. It was a plan the former spy thought flawless until he came face to face with the maid of honor. Jake’s perfect retreat turns into a flight, fight or hide week of celebrations.

 

Amazon

The Truth About Books: Faking Normal by Courtney Stevens

For this week's The Truth About Books 

(man, its been a while), Taherah and I reviewed

Courtney Stevens' Faking Normal

***WARNING THERE ARE SPOILERS

So, if you haven't read the book, go read it and come back ;)

Goodreads Summary:

An edgy, realistic, and utterly captivating novel from an exciting new voice in teen fiction.

Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer. Ashamed and embarrassed, she hides in her closet and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.

When Bodee Lennox, the quiet and awkward boy next door, comes to live with the Littrells, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in "the Kool-Aid Kid," who has secrets of his own. As they lean on each other for support, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her find the courage to finally face the truth.

A searing, poignant book, Faking Normal is the extraordinary debut novel from an exciting new author-Courtney C. Stevens

Waiting on Wednesday (77)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where that spotlights the upcoming books I am currently anticipating. 

~Currently Anticipating~

Book Blitz: Twelve Steps by Veronica Bartles {Excerpt+Giveaway}

Twelve Steps

by Veronica Bartles

Release Date: 03/25/14

Book Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Andi is tired of being a second-class sibling to perfect sister Laina. There in Laina's shadow, Andi's only noticeable feature is her pretty awesome hair. And even that is eclipsed by Laina's perfect everything else.

When Andi’s crush asks her to fix him up with Laina, Andi decides enough is enough and devises a twelve-step program to wrangle the spotlight away from Laina. After all, great hair must count for something.

Step 1: Admit she’s powerless to change her perfect sister, and accept that her life really, really sucks. OK, maybe that's two steps in one.

Step 4: Make a list of her good qualities besides great hair. There have got to be at least three good qualities, right?

Step 7: Demand attention for more than just her shortcomings, and break out of her shell. Easier said that done, but worth the effort in the long-run. 

When a stolen kiss from her crush ends in disaster, Andi finds that her prince isn’t as charming as she'd hoped, and realizes she may need a new program--perhaps with less steps!

As cracks in Laina’s flawless façade begin to show, the sisters work together to find a spotlight big enough for both to shine.

The Shadow Prince by Stacy O'Neale: Release Day Party {Giveaway}

Today is release day for THE SHADOW PRINCE by Stacey O'Neale! Help us celebrate the release of this amazing novella and enter to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card!

 Every sacrifice has consequences.

Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission: Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king. Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he's capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?

Review: Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
384 Pages
Release Date: March 18th, 2014
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre: Contemporary
Level: NA
Rating: 4 STARS

Goodreads Summary:
At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She's in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her and she's forced to decide what her next move should be.

Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there's something about Sydney that Ridge can't ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.

A passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance, Maybe Someday will immerse readers in Sydney's tumultuous world from the very first page.

Cover Reveals: Unmade, False Future, and MORE

Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan

ADD TO GOODREADS 

Eeep! Is it just me or is this book a lot lighter (in color and picture wise) 

than the other two books which had a lot more darker and mysterious mood to it? 

Unraveling Books: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Hello fellow readers. In this week's Unraveling Books,

in which Caitlyn and I do dual reviews on YA books so you guys see our different 

or same perspectives on the same book, we review THE WINNER'S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

355 Pages

Release Date: March 4th, 2014
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Giroux
Genre: Fantasy 

Goodreads Summary:

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 by Marie Rutkoski 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.

Review: Nil by Lynne Matson

Nil by Lynne Matson
384 Pages
Release Date: March 4th, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt
Level: YA
Genre: Sci-fi/Survival
Rating: 4 STARS

Goodreads Summary:
On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have one year. Exactly 365 days--to escape, or you die.

Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s lying naked in an empty rock field.

Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that to save their future, Charley must first save him. And on an island rife with dangers, their greatest threat is time.

Waiting on Wednesday (76)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where that spotlights the upcoming books I am currently anticipating. 

~Currently Anticipating~

Review: The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
298 Pages
Release Date: October 2nd, 2012
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Genre: Fantasy
Level: YA
Rating: 4.3 STARS

Goodreads Summary:

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to another pirate clan. But that only prompts the scorned clan to send an assassin after her. When Ananna faces him down one night, armed with magic she doesn't really know how to use, she accidentally activates a curse binding them together. 

To break the spell, Ananna and the assassin must complete three impossible tasks--all while grappling with evil wizards, floating islands, haughty manticores, runaway nobility, strange magic...and the growing romantic tension between them.

Cover Reveals: Trial by Fire, Collide, & Can't Look Away

Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini

ADD TO GOODREADS

LOVE! Definitely looking forward to reading this book :D
Love the the tagline and the eerie, mysterious aura the book exudes! 

The Thing About Books: Nightmare Dilemma by Mindee Arnett

In this week's The Thing About Books, Caitlyn and I 

discuss NIGHTMARE DILEMMA. The second book to the 

awesome Mindee Arnett's Nightmare Affair! **THERE ARE SPOILERS FROM BOTH BOOKS!

Don't read this post if you haven't read the book yet! Enjoy!

~Nightmare Dilemma~

Waiting on Wednesday (75)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where that spotlights the upcoming books I am currently anticipating. 

~Currently Anticipating~

Review: Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski
336 Pages
Release Date: March 11th, 2014
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: Sci-fi/Contemporary
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Rating: 3.5 STARS

Goodreads Summary:
Contemporary teen fiction with romance, secrets, scandals, and ESP from the author of Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have).

We weren't always like this. We used to be average New York City high school sophomores. Until our homeroom went for flu shots. We were prepared for some side effects. Maybe a headache. Maybe a sore arm. We definitely didn't expect to get telepathic powers. But suddenly we could hear what everyone was thinking. Our friends. Our parents. Our crushes. Now we all know that Tess is in love with her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That, um, Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper.

Since we've kept our freakish skill a secret, we can sit next to the class brainiac and ace our tests. We can dump our boyfriends right before they dump us. We know what our friends really think of our jeans, our breath, our new bangs. We always know what's coming. Some of us will thrive. Some of us will crack. None of us will ever be the same.
So stop obsessing about your ex. We're always listening.

Cover Reveals: Made for You, Mortal Gods, and MORE

Made for You by Melissa Marr

ADD TO GOODREADS

Such a GORGEOUS cover! Love the blue cover and the fly(??) Not entirely sure what

it's supposed to be o.o Definitely looking forward to reading this book :D 

A Note from Victoria Scott

A NOTE FROM VICTORIA SCOTT

I can’t believe how amazing these past couple of weeks has been. Fire & Flood is officially out in the world, and it’s an incredible feeling. To see it on shelves and hear readers’ reactions to some of my beloved scenes has provided me heaps of writing fuel. And this is good news since I’ve been elbow deep in revisions for book two.

Ah, the second book. What can I tell you without spoiling the ride? Well, I can say this—I believe in packing each book with more action than the one preceding it. I believe in continually raising stakes, testing characters, and strengthening relationships. There are many scenes in book two that break my heart, and others that make me laugh. There will be frostbite and avalanches, oceanic storms and twisted new rules. There will be deaths of beloved characters, and new Pandoras to adore. And there will be fierce battles between Contenders and Pandoras alike over the one thing everyone wants—the Cure. For it all comes down to this:

Who will be the one to cross the finish line first?

The answer may surprise you.

Now, let’s get on with what you’re here for—the first nugget of information about book two! The official title and release season are…

SALT & STONE

Review: Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas

Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas
336 PAGES
Release Date: March 11th, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Contemporary
Level: YA
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Rating: 5 STARS

Goodreads Summary:
Despite what her name might suggest, Heart has zero interest in complicated romance. So when her brilliant plan to go to prom with a group of friends is disrupted by two surprise invites, Heart knows there's only one drama-free solution: flip a coin.

Heads: The jock. He might spend all night staring at his ex or throw up in the limo, but how bad can her brother's best friend really be?

Tails: The theater geek...with a secret. What could be better than a guy who shares all Heart's interests--even if he wants to share all his feelings?

Heart's simple coin flip has somehow given her the chance to live out both dates. But where her prom night ends up might be the most surprising thing of all...

Waiting on Wednesday (74)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where that spotlights the upcoming books I am currently anticipating. 

~Currently Anticipating~

March Releases

March 4th:

Unraveling Books: Control by Lydia Kang

Welcome to this week's Unraveling Books where Caitlyn and I write 

dual reviews for books we've read. This week we write our thoughts

on CONTROL by Lydia Kang. Enjoy :)

Control by Lydia Kang

400 Pages
Release Date: December 26th, 2013
Publisher: Dial
Genre: Sci-fi/Dystopian
Level: YA

Goodreads Summary:
An un-putdownable thriller for fans of Uglies

When a crash kills their father and leaves them orphaned, Zel knows she needs to protect her sister, Dyl. But before Zel has a plan, Dyl is taken by strangers using bizarre sensory weapons, and Zel finds herself in a safe house for teens who aren’t like any she’s ever seen before—teens who shouldn't even exist. Using broken-down technology, her new friends’ peculiar gifts, and her own grit, Zel must find a way to get her sister back from the kidnappers who think a powerful secret is encoded in Dyl’s DNA.

A spiraling, intense, romantic story set in 2150—in a world of automatic cars, nightclubs with auditory ecstasy drugs, and guys with four arms—this is about the human genetic “mistakes” that society wants to forget, and the way that outcasts can turn out to be heroes.

Cover Reveals: Dead Zone, Rain, and MORE

Dead Zone by Robison Wells

ADD TO GOODREADS

Love the black and red colors and the shattering

glass/rock. And AWESOME tagline :P 

Pot of Gold Giveaway

Welcome to the Pot of Gold Giveaway

hosted by Darkly Delicious YA and Book Nerd Tours .

Three winners will receive

Amazon Gift Cards!

But in addition....