White Cat by Holly Black (REVIEW)

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers — people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail — he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

 

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love — or death — and your dreams might be more real than your memories.
(Goodreads.com)

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MY THOUGHTS:

It took me a good 100 pages to get into this book. Now, mobster-like stories aren't exactly my thing, but after hearing so many good things about the TITHE series, I had to give this book a shot. I could tell immediately that the writing was great. It is told in the present tense with great description and detail. The plot just didn't excite me much. I pushed this book to the side several times but then I told my self, "Hey, you have to read this." So I pushed through the rough parts and was pleasantly surprised.

This book really picks up and gets exciting towards the middle. By that point all the questions you have about 'workers' are pretty much answered. This book has so many unexpected twists. Right when you think that you know what is going on, what do you know, you really don't know what is going on. There are betrayals and deceit beyond what anybody could even fathom.

This book doesn't have a tremendous amount of romance but it has just the right amount to not subtract from the action and make the romance-lovers like myself pleased.

Holly Black obviously knows how to weave clever worlds and words that are so natural they could be real. There are a lot of instances, I've discovered, where withholding information from the reader does not work when it comes to suspense, but Holly Black does an excellent job with that. I found myself munching on my nails and wondering how in the world Cassel was going to get him out of certain situations. Cassel does some things that don't seem to make sense at the time, but then are later explained and I thought, "Ahhh. Clever boy."

I ended up staying up until 3 AM finishing this gripping tale and longing for the sequel.

Reasons I liked it:

• The Premise. Holly Black has created a world where you cannot trust anybody, really, not even yourself. A world where it is easy to doubt who you really are as a person even when you think you know yourself inside and out. A world where not even your memories are your own. A world where absolutely nothing is as it seems. 
• The protagonist. I've always loved male protagonists because they have a darker and seemingly more realistic outlook on life. Cassel can't ever seem to keep his mouth closed even when he knows he needs to. He's clever and determined. He is a character very easy to sympathize with when you discover what he thinks he's done, what he really has done, and what he is going to do. I felt myself aching for the boy every step of the way.
• The cons. They were clever, necessary, and amusing.
• The twists. Need I say more?

My Rating:

On my wishlist (1)

On my wishlist is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City every Saturday.

If you would like to participate or learn more about it, click HERE.



My wishlist:

Betrayal by Lee Nichols.

Publication date: March, 2011

Genre: YA paranormal

Summary from Goodreads:



Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fellow ghostkeeper, Natalie. When a new team of ghostkeepers arrive-one a snarky teen
boy, the other a British scholar-Emma finds solace in training for the battle against Neos. But as the team grows stronger, they are threatened by an unknown force. One they thought was good.
As chilling and page-turning as Deception, this sequel will grab readers and hold them to the last page. No one is safe from suspicion as Emma closes in on the traitor.

Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Publication date: June, 2011

Genre: YA Paranormal

Summary from Goodreads:

There can only be one alpha.

Bryn is finally settling into her position as alpha of the Cedar Ridge Pack—or at least, her own version of what it means to be alpha when you’re a human leading a band of werewolves. Then she finds a teenage boy bleeding on her front porch. Before collapsing, he tells her his name is Lucas, he’s a Were, and Bryn’s protection is his only hope.

But Lucas isn’t part of Bryn’s pack, and she has no right to claim another alpha’s Were.  With threats—old and new—looming, and danger closing in from all sides, Bryn will have to accept what her guardian Callum knew all along. To be alpha, she will have to give in to her own animal instincts and become less human. And, she’s going to have to do it alone.

Bryn faces both the costs, and the rewards, of love and loyalty, in this thrilling sequel to Raised by Wolves.

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer.

Publication Date: July, 2011

Genre: YA Paranormal

Summary from Goodreads:

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

 

Passing Strange by Daniel Waters (REVIEW)

Karen DeSonne is used to pretending to be something she’s not. All her life, she’s passed as a normal all-American teenager; with her friends, with her family, and at school. Passing cost her the love of her life. And now that Karen’s dead, she’s still passing this time, as alive.

Meanwhile, Karen’s dead friends have been fingered in a high-profile murder, causing a new round of anti-zombie regulations that have forced nearly all of Oakvale’s undead into hiding. Karen soon learns that the “murder” was a hoax, staged by Pete Martinsburg and his bioist zealots. Obtaining enough evidence to expose the fraud and prove her friends’ innocence means doing the unthinkable: betraying her love by becoming Pete’s girlfriend. Karen’s only hope is that the enemy never realizes who she really is because the consequences would be even worse than death.

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MY THOUGHTS:

I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. The first two installments in the series was Okay, but this book really disappointed me.

Karen has always been one of my favorite characters. She's cute and fun and I always suspected that she had a thing for girls. When I discovered that this book would mostly be from her point of view, I was all like "Okay, I'm on board! Let's mix it up a little!" But as I began to read, I literally felt my eyelids closing. It took me nearly two hundred pages to even get interested, and after that I didn't hang on very long. There were several times when I shoved the book to the side and started reading another.

This book also focuses on Tak (one of the creepy zombies) and Pete (a psychopathic zombie killer person). Karen has to date Pete in order to get to the bottom of the charges that were pressed against the zombies in the previous book. I expected it to be sort of suspenseful and really make me feel the repulsion of having to date the enemy. Instead, there was absolutely no suspense whatsoever. Throughout the entire book it flips perspectives from Karen to Pete to Tak. With all three of those combined there was really little mystery left in the plot.

I found myself really missing Adam and Pheobe, because now that they're together and Adam is breaking all sorts of zombie laws, I wanted to see more of their story. But they are only really mentioned in passing.

A lot of the characters felt very flat to me in this story. Tak and Pete especially. I mean, we understand why Pete hates all of zombiekind and why he's going off and trying to eliminate them all. It just feels kind of pushed for me. "Oh, my girlfriend didn't come back so you guys are all evil." That doesn't even make sense to me. I feel like his motives were more crazy than justified.

Now, onto The reasons I liked it:

• The premise. I think the whole "trying to get zombies to fit in with society" idea is kind of nifty. I like that they're not "AHHHH BRAINS!" because, quite frankly, that kind of thing kind of makes me scared to go to sleep. I also like, in this book, the idea of a lesbian zombie. It's just unique.

My rating:

2 out of 5 stars.

Maximum Ride: School's out - Forever (REVIEW)

In this stand-alone sequel to The Angel Experiment, bird-kid Max and her flock fly south to reunite with their parents. But their perilous mission runs into stiff winds when they are apprehended by an FBI agent who dispatches them to the worst nightmare destination: school! Max's homework assignment include decoding documents that might have help save the world and protect her from Max II, a clone who knows her every move. Action; suspense; plot surprises: all James Patterson specialties.

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MY THOUGHTS:

So, I've mixed feelings on this book. Because I kind of sort of loved it and couldn't stop reading it, but it wasn't actually that great. There's nothing especially phenomenal about the writing, and the premise is a little strange. These kids are pretty smart for a group that has never attended an actual school before this book. They haveseveral adult traits, and maybe that was because they have been through a lot and they were forced to mature early, but I kind of get the feeling that James Patterson forgets just how young each of the characters are.

Reasons I liked it:

• The protagonist. Despite my claims of the whole "acting too old" I happen to like Max a lot. I think she's funny and not entirely stupid. Okay, she's pretty damn smart and I like the whole mother hen thing she has going on with her flock. I like her total naivity when it comes to relationships and her romantic feelings. Max definitely makes the Ride much more enjoyable with her flippant and dry narration.
• The creepy wolf kid. Ari. I'm not sure why I like him. He's malicious and hateful and really confused about his feelings for Max. But come on, he goes into a store and causes all of this commotion just for a Game Boy. Gotta love it.
• The flock. They're fun and cute. Nuff said.

My rating:

3 out of 5 stars. Cute and light read and definitely worth a shot.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme you can find HERE

This weeks question: 

What’s the latest you’ve ever stayed up reading a book? Is staying up late reading a usual thing for you?



MY ANSWER:

Wow, that's a funny question. For me, at least. Because often when I'm absorbed in a really good book I don't stop reading it until I'm finished. With that being said, there were times when I just stayed up all night reading and didn't bother with sleep. In fact, that occurs fairly often. I've already done it twice this week. But I've also developed a case of insomnia so that has a lot to do with it, I suppose.

Giveaway of ANNA DRESSED IN RED and an interview with Kendare Blake

Over at Courtney Allison Moulton's blog, there is a giveaway for ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD by Kendare Blake.

Anna dressed in blood is definitely a paranormal book that I'm siked to read!

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.



Doesn't that sound fantastic? According to Courtney, the book is just as good as the description. And the cover. Ah, yes. The cover.

It is spectacular, is it not?
The book comes out August 30, 2011. But go to Courtney's blog (link above) for a chance to win an ARC.

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins (REVIEW)

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?

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MY THOUGHTS:

Earlier today, I had an internal rant in my mind about how nothing is EVER completely satisfactory. At least, for me. I always seem to find something wrong with everything. My cell phone, for instance, downloads text messages too slow. My refrigerator freezes my milk. My microwave--

Okay, the issues with my technology and kitchen devices are not the point here. My point is that I was never fully satisfied with anything. That is, however, until I read DEMONGLASS.

Honestly, I finished HEX HALL, the first book in the series, last week and while I thought it was all right, I wasn't blown away by it. Though, I was excited for the sequel. When I picked up DEMONGLASS I got the sense that I needed to read it immediately. I was already in the midst of reading three books, and I knew I shouldn't start another one--Especially with Wolfsbane being released tomorrow--but I just HAD to. Like the book held this strange compulsion begging me to open it, to read it.

And really, who can resist such literary temptation?

I was sucked in from the very first page. A lot of times, I discovered, the opening of sequels are not nearly as intriguing as the first book because there's a lot of recapping and "here's what happened in the three weeks after the last book ended" sort of thing. While that was included in DEMONGLASS, Hawkins didn't hesitate to move the plotline along.

I devoured this book, every single word. Honestly, I felt like if I didn't read the ending by the time I went to bed...the world would explode or something equally horrible. The only time I really stopped reading was to watch an episode of "The Glee Project" online. But really, I can't think of any book I've ever read that would have stopped me from doing that.

Things I liked:

• The Cover. Honestly, just look at it. I couldn't help but just examine it for, like, five minutes. Really, it's awesome.
• The protagonist. I've read A LOT of YA books in my short lifetime, and I can honestly say there are very few female protagonists that I truly like. Many of them annoy me with their whining or their failure to think logically or fight for what they want or--okay, I think you get the point. Sophie Mercer is not one of those annoying characters. It's true that I wasn't exactly in love with her after reading HEX HALL, though I certainly sympathized with her romantic issues (not going to go into detail because I don't want to give any spoilers). But after reading DEMONGLASS I feel much more connected to her. She's sarcastic and funny, and yes, smart. She thinks of possibilities and though there were a few parts when I wished more than anything that she would argue, I understood why she couldn't. She's vulnerable but not in a way that made me say "Oh shut up and move on" which I find myself doing often with books. She's also strong enough so that she doesn't burst into tears overtime something horrendous happens. And when the worst thing of all happens to her, she knows that in order to be any help she has to keep pushing.
• The secondary characters (and yes, the boys). There is Jenna, the lesbian vampire who loves the color pink and would do anything for her friends and those she cares about, even though she has been nothing but shunned since becoming a vampire. She's cute and fun and obviously essential to Sophie's well being. Then there is Archer and Cal and I can honestly not tell you which one of those I love more. Archer is sarcastic and...well I can't really go into detail on him without revealing spoilers. It's safe to say that he is H-O-T-T! And then there's Cal, manly and stoic with kickass healing abilities who can put legions of definition into one syllable. He is also very, incredibly smokin'!
• Descriptions. Hawkins has a lot of fictional places in the story: the school, the place that she stays in in London. She uses excellent description that really made me visualize quite vividly what every room looks like without going over the top.
• The history. It is not too complex. Which says a lot. I hate complex histories.
• The betrothal. I'm not going to elaborate. I'll just say that I like it. Because really, 'betrothal' is an awesome word.

My rating:

5 out of 5 stars. Extremely excellent, awesome, spectacular book that I would recommend. Because it is awesome. Seriously. Read it.

Matched by Ally Condie (REVIEW)

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

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MY THOUGHTS:

Before I read this book, I heard a lot of amazing things about it. But I didn't do much research. I read the inside of the cover, read the author reviews on the back, but that was all, really.

It wasn't at all what I expected. I guess after reading THE HUNGER GAMES and the UGLIES trilogy, both dystopian novels, I thought there would be more, I don't know, action. For me, the books was much too whimsical and all together dull. The climax didn't excite me, the protagonist didn't excite me, the romance didn't even excite me. I didn't feel much of a connection to Ky despite the fact that we hear his depressing life story. I wasn't intrigued in the slightest.

The writing is good, yes. But like I said, much too whimsical and poetic for my taste.

There were several occasions when I would just put the book to the side and begin another one. I rarely do that because I like to finish what I start before initiating a new project, but I just could not sit and read MATCHED for consecutive hours.

Reasons I liked it:

• The world. As far as Dystopian stories go, I feel that Condie has created a very unique lifestyle, one that helps me sympathyze with Cassia, the protagonist. I can't do much to explain why I like the world so much. I thought that the Society was just...interesting. They limit choices - predict choices - choose which day you will die, choose who you will marry. A Society where the Officials always knew how the citizens would react, what they would choose. And lord knows if I had someone limiting my food proportions...
• The message. Don't go gentle. Even though we live in a society where everything is not already pre-ordained, I think that is a message that everybody can relate to. Don't go gentle.
• The ending. Unlike many novels, this didn't end with unicorns and rainbows even though there was impending doom about to fall upon a city. Gosh, I hate those. This ended with a taste of vengeance and a quest. On the last page of this book, the reader knows that it isn't over. Plain and simple. I like that.

My rating:

2 out of 5 stars. I didn't like it as much as I wanted to.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

In James Patterson's blockbuster series, fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it's like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the "flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time...like when Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the "School" where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of wack jobs. Her friends brave a journey to blazing hot Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare--this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf "Erasers" in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. Along the way Max discovers from her old friend and father-figure Jeb--now her betrayed and greatest enemy--that her purpose is save the world--but can she?
(goodreads.com)

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MY THOUGHTS:

So, the only reason I began this series was because I recieved a lot of reccomendations for it. I was very hesitant to read, because--Come on! Bird people? I thought it sounded a bit...wonky. And then I saw that it was 422 pages and I thought "Oh man. Do I really want to read this? I do have a book about werewolves and vampires..."

But then I did begin to read it, and I must say it was much better than I had anticipated. The protagonist is fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride (a self proclaimed nickname) who is generally smart, caring, and humorous.

I was a little shocked at first by the narration, where James Patterson has his protagonist actually talk to the reader, but as I read further it began to really pull me and I found it quite cute, actually. One little quibble I have, though, is the intelligence level of the children. There are six in all: Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel. Max, Fang, and Iggy are each 14 (also sort of self proclaimed); Nudge is 11; Gazzy is 8; and Angel is 6. I mean, I know that they are genetically modified and that their intelligence level should probably be above level, but I'm only slightly older than them and I consider myself fairly intelligent, yet the six year old knows more than I do! These kids don't even attend a school to educate them.

Reasons I liked it:

• The protagonist. She is tough yet soft, stoic yet vulnerable. There are several moments when she has to remind herself that she is only 14, and not exaclty cut out to raise children, but then she reminds herself that they are a family and that she would do anything for the other five. She is also sarcastic, which is undeniably awesome! She is always alert, even when she wants more than anything to relax. And instead of gushing about boys and her hair and what she's wearing, she focuses on her "flock" and their happiness--even when she begins to hear voices in her head.
• The variety of characters. There is a blind pyromaniac (Iggy, who happens to be my favorite!) who doesn't let his disability stop him from anything--even blowing up his enemies! There's a black little girl who is sweet and adorable and will talk your ears off (Nudge). There is the dark and brooding boy who actually kind of cares even though nobody but Max really knows it (Fang). There's an 8 year old boy who tries really hard to be tough and who is a junior pyromaniac (Gazzy, short for Gasman). And there is the precious little six year old who can control minds and breathe under water and a lot of other crazy things that I can't even begin to fathom (Angel).

My Rating:

3 out of 5 stars. Worth a shot!

Suzanne Collins

The last review blog that I posted expressed my opinion of Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games. I mentioned that I was really upset that I couldn't get the next two books in the trilogy. Well, I got them! I was going to do more books that I have read, but I'll save that for another post.

Catching Fire is the second installment. It picks up only months after the ending of The Hunger Games, beginning with the cruel victory tour that she was forced on around the districts. Every thing after that plummets into a winding downhill spiral for poor Katniss and those she loves. She has to convince everyone, including the leader of the Capitol, that she and Peeta are deeply in love so that the districts don't view her trick in the arena as an act of rebellion. It doesn't work. Peeta and Katniss are thrust back into the the arena for the Quarter Quell where they are both plotting to save one another, no matter the cost. Too bad most of the other tributes are aiming to protect both of them in a secret scheme created by the beloved Haymitch, the Head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee, and the secret establishment of District 13 in order to preserve their sacred Mockingjay.

This book contains secrecy, revenge, and lots of angst. But really, what is new for Katniss Everdeen?

I'll admit, out of all the three books Catching Fire is my least favorite. Not because it lacks in any department, not at all. It has the same drama and tear-out-your-heart feeling as The Hunger Games. I just feel that it was a filler book. Every event in it was just leading up to the big BANG in Mockingjay. And that's fine, really. That's what the middle books are supposed to do. I also felt that it was fairly repetitive in the beginning. Katniss and Peeta enter the arena again--the same arena where people kill others to survive. Of course there's going to be repetition. Nevertheless, I read the whole thing in one sitting desperate to discover how Miss Collins was going to get them out of that mess.

Mockingjay is the third and last novel in the series, much to my dismay. Katniss has become a symbol for an uprising among the districts and she discovers just how much her stability means to those following her lead. She is residing in the underground District 13 with Gale and her family and all of the other people that mean even an ounce to her. Well, not all of them. Poor Peeta Mellark was captured by the Capitol after a bold wreckage of the Quarter Quell and is being used as bait to drive Katniss crazy. Eventually, the realization seeps into her that they are just going to torture him until Katniss breaks, and she does. A plan is devised to rescue him from the Capitol, but when they get him back they realize it was almost too easy. The Capitol must have wanted them to get him. They quickly discover that his brain had been tampered with and not only can he not remember his love for Katniss, he is pretty damn determined to kill her. If that's not enough pressure, there's a serious bounty on Katniss and her group's head as they try to move silkily throughout the districts and promote the uprising.

This book was my absolute favorite in the series. I cried like a baby the whole way through. It contained action, suspense, and an excessive amount of heart-wrenching deaths. My heart was absolutely broken by Peeta's fervent urge to kill Katniss, even though that does abate. I think this was the book that really just sucked me in to all of the characters and made me feel for each and every one of them. Prim, Finnick, Haymitch, and especially Gale. I was so sad to see how much Gale was willing to do for Katniss and how easily Katniss was willing to write it off as psychotic. Suzanne Collins wraps up the series with a happy ending that isn't entirely happy. Relationships are never fully mended, wounds never fully sealed. I think that is what made me love it so much, because in the end, life isn't full of zero problems and fulfilled hearts. Even though Katniss escapes the turmoil alive, she doesn't make it out unscathed--mentally or emotionally--and just because that chapter of danger in her life is over she knows not to expect a leisurely lifestyle. Katniss Everdeen may just be one of my favorite heroines of all time. I highly enjoyed traveling on the up and down emotional roller coaster with Katniss and I have a feeling this series is one I will think about for a very long time.


If you haven't read this series, I'd strongly advise it. The characters have extraordinary depth and the narration has a dark feeling to it that will instantly give you a feeling of sympathy and later form a connection that you could never imagine.

Author's news! Richelle Mead, Cassandra Clare, Zoe Marriott, and Courtney Allison Moulton.

Boy, do I have A LOT to talk about. I'll start with author's news.

Richelle Mead has released the beautiful cover to The Golden Lily this week. The Golden Lily, for those of you who don't know, is the second installment in the Bloodlines series. For those of you who don't know what Bloodlines is Richelle Mead has provided a helpful Q&A. But if you don't feel like going there, I will tell you that is a spin-off of her bestselling Vampire Academy series. It focuses on Sydney Sage, the alchemist, Jill Mastrano, the long lost Dragomir, and Adrian Ivashkov, the heart broken hottie. For more information, go to the Q&A. And for those who haven't seen the Bloodlines cover either:

There is both Bloodlines and The Golden Lily. For a close up of the The Golden Lily you can click here.

Neither Bloodlines nor The Golden Lily have been released yet. Bloodlines's release date is August 23, 2011. The Golden Lily does not have an exact date, but is set to come out in May 2012. Miss Mead is a fantastic writer (and she's fantastically pregnant!) and if you have not read her work yet, I give a strong recommendation.

In other news, Cassandra Clare has released this month's spoilers fro City of Lost Souls, which is the next installment in the bestselling Mortal Instruments series. For those teasers and the ones from previous months you can go here.

Another bonus from Miss Clare: in City of Glass Jace Wayland wrote a letter to Clary Fray that we did not get to fully read. If you would like to read that adorable letter, you can view it here! Cassandra Clare is another wonderful writer of whom I am a fan. More recommendations for her work!

Thursday was the official release date for Zoe Marriott's new book Shadows on the Moon. I've yet to read some of Miss Marriott's work, but Shadows on the Moon is definitely high on my to-read list! If you'd like to read more about this story, you can find information here, and on her blog she provides several other blogs that you can visit to read excerpts and learn more about the book.



Lastly, Courtney Allison Moulton has posted on her blog pictures of the Wings of the Wicked  ARCs and provides an email for who you can contact to get a hold on one. She has always given a form submission to fill out so that you can win some swag. I've filled it out! If you would like to do the same, it is a first come, first serve sort of thing.
For those of you who have never heard of Courtney, her debut novel was Angelfire and Wings of the Wicked is the sequel and it is being released February 14, 2012. To learn more about the books and the world they take place you can check out these links.


Well, that's all the author updates I have for now. My next post will be reviews from A LOT of books. All of which I have read since my last review post. Enjoy :)