Top Ten Tuesday: Books Before Blogging

(If the book is the first in a series, then I mean the entire series, but I may have finished the series while blogging.)

1) Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare 

2) The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

3) Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - I have NO idea what I'd do if I never discovered this series. Pretty much my all time fave. And to think, I only picked it off the shelf in the grocery store because it has the word "vampire" in the title. 

4) Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - This was one of those series I loved before I even liked reading. I think it's the first series I ever re-read. 

5) This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen - This is my favorite Dessen book, to this day. 

6) Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen - This is my second favorite Dessen book, to this day. I remember staying up all night sprawled on my brother's living room floor reading this. 

7) The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han - I stayed up all night reading this one as well...ON A SCHOOL NIGHT. I finished it on the bus to school, and my friends told me I'm crazy. But it's okay because ALL THE FEELZ.

8) Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - Okay, so the first book wasn't the best thing that ever happened to me, but this series in general is one that has claimed a spot in my heart for a long time to come. 

9) Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick - This is one of my guilty pleasure series. It's not, like, mind-blowing or anything, but what can I say other than that I enjoyed the series?

10) City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

And Nova decided to do her thang on her blog today, so you should most definitely give that a look-see: 

Nova's Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Fall TBR

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - I'm not a supermajor fan of the first book in the series, but I do want to see where the story goes and if it will get better.

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - I lovelovelovelove this series. Beautiful Chaos ended with such a bang...I've waited my entire life for this, I swear.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken - I adore Alexandra's first book, Brightly Woven and can't wait to see what brilliance Bracken brings with this completely different novel.

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick - Since Silence was so incredibly uneventful, I can only assume she included double the awesome in this final book.

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes - The title, the cover, the smmary--all of it seems so epic!

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally - Catching Jordan was a great book, and I have confidence that her books are only going to get better.

The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook - I have made it a goal to read and own every YA book that Eileen Cook produces.

The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez - OMG DID YOU READ VIRTUOSITY? Because if you have then you understand my overwhelming excitement. IF NOT GO READ NOW OR I SHANK YOU.

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone - I have such a cover connection with this book, every time I see it I am compelled to stalk the author, find out where she lives, and go steal the manuscript and read it nomnomnomnommmmmm!!!

Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler - Janet always ha incredible plots and I love her previous book, If I Tell.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Characters in Books

Top Ten All Time Favorite Characters In Books

(In no particular order)

1) Rose Hathaway (Vampire Academy series)

Okay, really? Rose is my favorite character of all frackin time. She's badass, kickass, and a smartass. She's fiercely loyal, clever, and fights for what she thinks is right. She's got so many issues, and it's so great to watch her overcome her problems. 

2) Wesley "Link" Lincoln (Caster Chronicles)

Link is hilarious. Even in the most darkest times, Link could make me laugh. Then, in Beautiful Chaos, we see a more vulnerable side of him and I was swooning and awwwwwwwwing. 

3) Cassel Sharpe (Curse Workers series)

Cassel is incredibly, well, sharp. He's cunning and snarky. And most of all, I love that, despite his family history, he tries to hold himself to a higher standard. Cassel is so messed up and that's why it's hard not to love him!

4) Adam Wilde (If I Stay)

First of all, Adam is obviously sexy. Second of all, he's a musician--which is sexy. I loved how much he clearly cared about Mia and the extremes he went to in order to see her. He's adorable and, uh, did I mention SEXY!? 

5) Evan (Hushed)

The one thing I really admired about Evan was that he is infinitely patient with Arthur and he is willing to risk everything in order to help Archer. He is kind and understanding. 

6)Jace Wayland (Mortal Instruments series)

Okay, I can't help it. Jace is so wonderfully swoon-worthy. Everything that comes out of his mouth makes me melt. He is broken, sometimes a little rude, and extremely reckless. But he has a softer side when it comes to the people he loves and he is willing to sacrifice anything and everything for them. Honestly, I could go on and on about Jace, but I'll just end with: He's beautiful. 

7) Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games trilogy) 

Elaboration is really quite unnecessary, because we all know how kickass Katniss is. 

8) Dimitri Belikov (Vampire Academy series)

He's different than the average YA love interest, perhaps because he is a lot more man than boy. He is sweet, tender, wise, a god, focused, determined, and a lot more delicious adjectives. AND A NOMNOM ACCENT ;D

9) Sophie Mercer (Hex Hall trilogy)

I wasn't crazy about her in the first book, but in Demonglass she kicks up her badassery with more magic and kissing and snark! 

10) Magnus Bane (Mortal Instruments & Infernal Devices series)

Uh, he's MAGNUS FRACKIN BANE. Nuff said. 

No joke, that's just the tip of the iceberg of the characters I adore. Who are your favorite book characters!? 

Practically Peeing - The Ending Edition

I know, what a weird post title! But there's a lot of times when I'm excited for a book I say I'm peeing my pants for it. So "Practically Peeing" is a feature sort of like Waiting on Wednesday or On My Wishlist or Books  To Pine For where I showcase books that I realllllllly want to read. They might already be released, they might be a year away, they might be coming out next month! Either way, I can guarantee, I really want to read them.

There are so many trilogies and sagas and series in the world these days, I feel like I'm always waiting for the next frickin' book! But among all these beginnings, there are a few fabulous series coming to an end, and while it's sad to see the stories I love coming to an end, I cannot wait to see how the amazing authors conclude their characters' drama.

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

October 23, 2012

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.

Black Heart by Holly Black

April 3, 2012

Margaret K. McElderry

Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love. 

Endlessly by Kiersten White

July 24, 2012

HarperTeen

Try as she might, Evie can’t seem to escape her not-so-normal past. And what was supposed to be a blissfully normal school break is ruined when a massive group of paranormals shows up at her house, claiming that Evie is the only one who can protect them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The deadly war between the faerie courts looms ever closer. The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its future rests solely in Evie’s hands.

So much for normal.

With a perfect blend of humor and suspense, Endlessly is everything readers could dream of in a conclusion—and the unexpected twists will keep them guessing until the very last page. 

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

March 13, 2012

Hyperion Books

 Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

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?

Taken by Storm by Jannifer Lynn Barnes

May 22, 2012

Egmont USA

Bryn knows first-hand that being the alpha of a werewolf pack means making hard decisions, and that being human makes things a thousand times worse. She's prepared to give up her humanity, but the wolf who promised to Change her is waiting - though for what, Bryn doesn't know. Still human, she must take her place in the werewolf Senate, the precarious democracy that rules the North American packs. Standing side by side with werewolves who were ancient long before she was ever born is enough of a challenge, but Bryn soon learns that the Senate has been called to deal with a problem: the kind of problem that involves human bodies, a Rabid werewolf, and memories that Bryn, Chase, and the rest of their pack would rather forget. With bodies stacking up and political pressure closing in from all sides, Bryn and her pack are going to have to turn to old enemies and even older friends for help - especially when it starts to look like this time, the monster might be one of their own. 

Have you read any of these series? Are you superdy siked for any of these books!? 

Favorite Books of 2011 (1)

Is it just me or were there a ton of awesomely wonderful fantabulous great books released in 2011? No, it wasn't just me. To express my immense love for the marvelous books I've read this year, I decided to start doing posts that each feature one of my favorite books if 2011. These posts will come at random times. The books that I choose to feature are in no particular order of how much I love them.

The first book that I choose is....

You can read my review here.

What did you think of this book? Leave your thoughts in comments and leave links to your review of it :)

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (REVIEW)

Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Genre: YA Supernatural - Publisher: Little Brown - Publication Date: October 18, 2011 - Format: Hardcover - Pages: 528 - Source: Purchased

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending. (Goodreads.com)

Oh. My. Gosh. This book...Definitely worth the squee it received when I bought it, and definitely deserving of the Book of the Month title here at BookBreather. You know how sometimes you read a book that you know you're going to love and it ends up surpassing your expectations? Or how sometimes you read a book and you hope that it's going to be as good as the other books in the series and it ends up being better than all of them combined? Or how sometimes you read a book and you know that you could talk hours about it, fill up dozens of pages of words about it, but never properly express how amazing the content is?

Say hello to Beautiful Chaos. The third book in the Caster Chronicles was everything I hoped it would be and more. Infused with a little (and sometimes a lot) of everything I could ever ask for in a book. An original supernatural book with chill and romance and heartbreak and death and doom and friendship and family and sacrifices and mystery and marvelous, incredible, gorgeous, enticing, BEAUTIFUL chaos.

As usual, Garcia and Stohl create the most vivid scenes and world with their descriptions. When I read this book, I felt like I was picked up by a giant hand and placed in the broken town of Gatlin. Sometimes, I would look up and wonder for a minute where I was, then remember that I was only facing the cold from the ceiling fan I was too lazy to turn off, rather than the End of Days. They also created great emotion. Better than ever. I felt some sort of connection to each and every one of the characters, with the exception of John Breed who, despite everything, I still don't like.

But the rest of the characters are great. They have depth and distinct personalities, goals, desires. I am still struggling to decide which one is my favorite, because they are all so great. Ethan has a strong voice and a kind heart. If he was real, I'd want him as my boyfriend. Link is hilarious and always good for a laugh, no matter what is happening, as are the Sisters. Amma is tough and sharp, but in this book we get to see a side of her that is vulnerable and broken, just like the rest of the town. Lena infuriates me, but I still love her. Macon is awesome. Liv is sweet and smart and a lot tougher than she seems. Each of the characters have experienced major change and growth. The world may be beautifully written, but I think it is the characters that truly make the story.

I loved learning more about Sarafine. I loved seeing her struggling with the darkness, and discovering what made her into the vindictive beyotch she became. I also loved learning more about John Breed and Link's capabilities. Especially Link. Linkubus. Definitely makes me want to buy Dream Dark, which is the novella about Link. I also liked how this book carried more doom than the others. More doom and action and suspense and tension. Ethan is actually the one experiencing most of the bad things, putting all the pieces together, and falling apart.

The ending literally rendered me speechless - and bawling. It was shocking and heartbreaking and left me aching for the next book. Sure, there was one heck of a cliffhanger, but, my gosh, it was great. All in all, this is definitely on my top 10 books of 2011, probably even top 5. It was great. Amazing. Extremely close to perfect. It made me laugh, cry, gasp, and literally go, "Whaaaat!? What? What? Whaaaat!?!?!?" I loved everything about it. I don't want to wait over a year for the next one.

I don't care what other books you've read. If you haven't read Beautiful Chaos, do it now.

Amazon - B&N - Indiebound - Book Depo

Beautiful Chaos quotes

Hello, everyone! As you may know, my book of the month is Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

I haven't read the entire thing yet, but let's just say that this book is absolutely fabulous. No doubt the best in the series so far. I should be posting my review sometime soon. And, with great books come great quotes. I thought I'd share with you guys my favorite quotes from the book so far.

WARNING: THESE CONTAIN SLIGHT SPOILERS.

"I had always hoped things would change in my town, until they started changing. Now I wanted Gatlin to go back to the boring town I'd known all my life. The way things were when I hated the way things were. Back when I could see things coming, and nothing ever came." (Pg. 139)

"That was the smell - food that wasn't food. For these lives that weren't lives." (Pg. 165)

"'Yeah, she's hot, all right.' He noticed me starng at him like he was nuts. 'What? I can't call it like I see it?'
'Sarafine's the Queen of Darkness, dumbass.'
'Seen a movie lately? The Queen a Darkness is always totally hot. Third Degree Burns.'" (Pg. 191)

"I started to panic and noticed the punch table, a good fifteen feet away. That seemed like a safe distance. 'I'm going to get something to eat. Anybody want anything?'
'Nope.' Liv smiled at me like everything was fine.
'Not a thing.' Lena smiled at me like she wanted to kill me.
I escaped as quickly as I could." (Pg. 271 - 272)

"But I could hear the desperation in Link's voice. 'It's never been anyone but you.'
'What are you talking about?' She froze, but it was too late.
Link couldn't stop himself. 'Sometimes I think crazy things, like I want to be with you forever. We could live in an RV and see the world. I mean, the parts you can drive to. And you could write songs, and I could play them at gigs. Can't you see it?'" (Pg. 273 - 274 This is my favorite quote in the entire series. I cry everytime I read it. I'd travel the world with you, Linkubus.)

"Time to grow a pair of kneecaps." (Pg. 310)

"Turns out The Crucible is more about bitches than witches, as Lena would be the first to say. I was glad I waited until the end of the unit to finish reading the play. It made me hate half of Jackson Hgh, and the whole cheer squad, even more than usual." (Pg. 312)

"The afflicted girls were on one side - led by Emily Asher. Apparently, their job was to act like phonies and pretend they were possessed. Emily was a natural. They all were." (Pg. 313)

"She smiled, and I knew I would always remember this day. Like the day I found her crying in the garden at Greenbrier. There were times when I looked at her and everything stopped. When the world fell away and I knew nothing could ever come between us." (Pg. 331)

"'Dude, why does it always have to be graveyards and crypts with you? Can't we hang out somewhere that isn't full a dead bodies?'" (Pg. 363)

"'Don't be mad.' There was no guy in the world who didn't know what those words meant. She was about to give me a reason to be mad.
'I won't.' My stomach curled into a ball.
'You have to promise.' Even worse." (Pg. 383)

"He seemed more concerned about Liv than Marian, which didn't surprise me, but it still made me angry. Like just about everything that came out of his mouth." (Pg. 413)



So, there are some of my favorites. Honestly, the book is full of awesome. Everything Link says is worthy of going into this post, but I only put the majorly great ones. If you are hesitant to pick up Beautiful Chaos, don't be!

Beautiful Chaos is out!

Today is October 18....also known as the release date for Beautfoul Chaos!!

I've been waiting for this book for months and it is finally here! Happy birthday, Beautiful Chaos. I cannot wait to buy this book.

Is anybody else as excited as I am!?

Countdown to Beautiful Chaos

So, Beautiful Chaos is my Book of the Month this month, and I am sooo excited for it! I'm mkaing my dad buy it for me the day it comes out. Here's the countdown. I can't believe it's less than a week. And considering the already enormous pile of books I have to read, plus manuscripts, I know I'm in trouble when this comes out. I don't care, though. I'm going to drop everything and read it.

For the comments: Who is your favorite character in the Caster Chronicles? If you haven't read any of the books yet, do you want to?

Bye, loves!

October BOM.COM

BOM.COM is not a website. Well, actually, it might be. I don't know. You can check if you want, but that's not what it is over here at BookBreather.

BOM.COM is a new feature on the blog that means Book of the Month . Cover of the Month. Basically, I pick two books that are coming out this month. One for which I am looking the most forward to, and the other one is a book that I think has the prettiest cover!

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Publication date: October 18, 2011

Genre: YA Paranormal

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

 

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.

 

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

There are multiple reasons that I selected BEAUTIFUL CHAOS as my October Book of the Month, many of which I cannot even put into words. When I bought BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, the first book in the Caster Chronicles, I bought it because it was on sale and I had a limited amount of money left on my Barnes and Noble gift certificate. What I didn't expect was to fall in love with the intricate world of Casters, tunnels, and southern history. These two ladies know how to write and the dark tone and originality of their stories immediately captured me. I picked this book for everything that it is. This series has been fantastic so far and I have no doubt that these ladies will exceed my expectations with the next installment. I'm buying this book the day it comes out.

On the Fringe by Coutney King Walker

Publication date: October 19, 2011

Genre: YA Paranormal

Claire is struggling to overcome the murder of her childhood friend and secret crush, Daniel. Everyone else seems to be moving on with their lives, but she's still trying to cope. The fact that she finds herself alone and drowning on her 16th birthday isn't helping.

Neither is thinking she sees Daniel's face in murky water as she mysteriously resurfaces. But something happened during those four and a half minutes that will make her realize it was not just her imagination.

As Claire and Daniel try to grasp a possible reconnection, other grudge-holding beings have plans of their own. Now, the two of them have to decide if their fleeting relationship is worth the possibility of Claire being trapped on the fringe forever.

Beautifully told, On the Fringe intertwines fresh ideas about devotion, revenge, and the consequences that come with life and death.

My reasons for picking ON THE FRINGE as my October Cover of the Month are slightly less passionate than my reasons for picking my Book of the Month. I had never even heard of this book until I searched what books were being released in October, 2011. But for some reason, my eyes were inexplicably drawn to this cover. It's strange. I love the way the sun is shining through the water, the contrast of the colors, the way the bubbles are rising from the girls mouth. I suppose I love the simplicity of it.

That's what I picked for October. What do you think? Do you disagree with my selections? Agree? Do you have better selections? I'd like to hear them!