Ugh. I am so sorry, guys. I don't know what is up with my posting lately....oh right, there hasn't been much of it. I just...I don't know. But I'm still sorry. Anyways, to make it up to you wonderful people, I'm going to post a bunch of different and awesome book trailers.
I think that's a good starter...
I'm so excited for Clockwork Prince. Words can't even describe it. And, I mean, look at that trailer. I think I have all the reason in the world to be excited.
OMG.
This is seriously one of the best book trailers I have ever seen, is it not? I haven't read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer yet, but I sooo want to! I've heard such marvelous things about it. It was released yesterday, so go buy it!
I actually have not read this yet, but the trailer is super cool!
This is for Maureen Johnson's The Name of the Star.
This book comes out TOMORROW! And I am so siked to read it! The trailer is awesome. If you haven't already, go out and buy this because I've heard the MOST FANTASTIC things about it! I can't wait until my copy arrives!
So there you have it! Four amazing trailers for four amazing writers! What do you guys think!?
Genre: YA fantasy - Publisher: Simon & Schuster - Publication Date: August 30, 2011 - Pages: 411 - Source: Simon Pulse It
High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.
It’s all a fake.
At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?
But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned—
Are about him.(Goodreads.com)
Words cannot accurately describe how much I adored this book. Infused with rich and powerful history, touching relationships, and crazy plot twists, Witchlanders is a book I'll be sure to read over and over again. Coakley did a marvelous job tugging at the heart-strings and weaving a beautifully horrific world where wonderfully terrible magic exists.
I'll admit, I was certainly reluctant to put the goodreads summary on this review, because in my opinion it is extremely misleading. "The beautiful and silent witch that holds all the secrets." That just screams romance, doesn't it? No. This book has absolutely no romance in it whatsoever. It does, however, contain beautiful friendships and familial relationships that'll bring you to tears.
I haven't got a single quibble about Coakley's writing. It was fabulous. She captured me with the powerful emotions and melancholy tone. The story began a bit slow and slightly confusing, but the plot picks up and everything is explained and I couldn't tear my eyes away from the words! This is by far one of the best witch-themed stories I can think of. The world was sad and complex, but it was explained in little pieces, rather than a large info-dump, which nobody really likes. The fabulous imagery was addicting, as were the strong emotions emanating from all of the characters. I was deeply connected to this story and often found myself tearing up.
This book is very clean, suitable for all ages, and very creative. It was very fast-paced and exciting, each chapter leaving me with a craving for more. The action was tense, but not gory. Coakley has a way of building you up for something wonderful to happen, and then crushing your hopes as a new problem arises. A natural rise and fall of action, problems, and solutions. Her use of witchcraft was original in ways that left me breathless! The rivalry between the Baen and he Witchlanders was brilliantly created and portrayed.
There were a load of twists and turns in this book that I never saw coming, and I was incredibly impressed with the struggles that the characters barely managed to escape.
Witchlanders is unlike any magical story I've read before. There are strong, irreplaceable bonds, magic, war, original creatures, and a flawless altering between two pained boys in narration. I'm not sure if this book has a sequel, but it definitely needs one!
The narration. I've always claimed to love make narrators. This book doesn't just contain one fabulous male narrator, but two! And it was perfectly executed. I felt the sorrow of the two boys seep into m bones, and I just fell in love with both of them. They were strong and smart, and I seriously enjoyed diving into their minds.
The world. I've said it once, I'll say it again. I love the world in this story. It is devastating and tough and I could not get enough of it. Not even the religious stuff bothered me! And though there were a lot of confusing aspects involved, it was explained clearly and effectively.
The different themes. Coakley touches on a lot of common issues that we have in our society, though not as heavily. Wars, trust, family, friendship, illnesses, deceiving leaders, betrayal, prejudice, money struggles. There's a ton more, too, I just can't think of any.
Overcoming differences. Ryder and Falpian are technically rivals, but their souls disagree, as they are brothers of the soul. At first they are extremely wary and afraid of one another, but over time they begin to trust and care for each other in ways that seriously touched me.
The names. I may be biased because I am writing a story with a character named Ryder, but come on they are so original and not even close to being cheesy or annoying. Pima, Skyla, Falpian, Mabis. I love them all!
So...I saw a new cover today and I thought it was awfully purdddddy.
Perception by Kim Harrington.
This is the sequel to Clarity. I haven't actually read Clarity, though I desperately want to. But I think this cover is fantastic. I love the sun burst and the colorful trees :D I think this is waay better than Clarity's cover.
What do you think? Do you like it more than Clarity? Less? I like opinions!
Two The Twelth Paladin bookmarks, courtesy of Nora Weston.
and a the cute little bookmark all the way on the right is one that I believe Marcy Hatch made herself, which I won along with Clockwork Angel.
So, if you've been around the blogging community lately, you'll notice that there is a huge giveaway hop for banned books. I am not a part of that hop, however I was hosting a giveaway for a copy of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, which is a book that has been challenged. That absolutely breaks my heart because it is one of my favorite books. So, I find it ironic that the day that I am announcing the winner, there is a banned books giveaway going on!
Anyways...without firther ado, the winner of a copy of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead is:
Christine Rains
Congratulations! I will be contacting you shortly and you will have 72 hours to reply with an address or a new winner will be chosen. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do!
Fourteen-year-old Cassidy Jones wakes up the morning after a minor accident in the laboratory of a world-renowned geneticist to discover that her body has undergone some bizarre physical changes. Her senses, strength, and speed have been radically enhanced.
After exploring her newfound abilities, Cassidy learns that the geneticist, Professor Serena Phillips, is missing and that foul play is suspected. Terrified that her physical changes and Professor Phillips' disappearance are somehow connected, Cassidy decides to keep her strange transformation a secret. That is, until she meets the professor's brilliant and mysterious fifteen-year-old son, Emery. An unlikely duo, they set out to find Emery's mother, who is key in explaining Cassidy's newly acquired superpowers.
Their lives are put at risk when they find themselves embroiled in a dangerous, action-packed adventure. Soon they are forced to confront a maniacal villain willing to do anything - including murder - to reach his own ambitious goals. (Goodreads.com)
This book was absolutely adorable! I don't usually read Middle Grade, but when I read the synopsis for this book, I knew immediately that it was going to be interesting. With enjoyable characters, a clever plot, and a fast pace, this book could bring a smile to anyone's lips. It's great for boys and girls of all ages.
I was hooked from the beginning. Cassidy has an intelligent and fun voice that is hard to ignore. She was a cute character who had good qualities and bad, and her breakdowns were almost endearing. It was very easy for me to just put myself in Cassidy's shoes, because she is relatable for almost every teenager. Not only does she deal with the fact that she may be becoming a mutant, but she also has to face the perils of high school. Boy drama, popular girl drama, bully drama. Most importantly, though, was that I felt completely connected to Cassidy. I could really feel her emotions.
The writing was pretty darn good, but there was one thing that bugged me. I feel like Elise Stokes added a little TOO much variety to the beginnings of her sentences. There were several instances when one paragraph would contain a ton of sentences that begin with -ly words (Ex: gratefully, questioningly, etc.). Other than that it was pretty magnificent. It just naturally flowed and held my interest throughout the entire book. The plot was generally original, the clima was pretty epic, and the story had some complex concepts that were explained incredibly well. Not only that, but Stokes painted vivid pictures in my mind with her fantastic use of imagery.
This book was light and really clean, plus it contained realistic and interesting dialogue that fit the characters. I actually didn't want to smach my head into a cement wall when Cassidy said "crud". And the word crud is pretty difficult to effectively pull off.
Honestly, this book was an excellent read that kept me engrossed and eager to find out what happens next. I would certainly recommend this to all ages. I'm definitely looking forward to Cassidy's next adventure!
The action. For real, there were some epic fight scenes in this book. It wasn't gory or disgusting, it was just a load of fun.
The characters. Every single one of them. They each have their own distinct personalities, their quirks and habits. I think Chazz, the little brother, may have been my favorite with his fascination for super heroes!
Ninjas. Yes, there are ninjas in this book. With nunchucks and throwing stars. Need I really say more?
The villian. Okay, he was just so much fun to read about. He was eccentric and arrogant and so funny!
If you liked:
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans
This week, the BookBreather has been a very bad blogger! I'm so sorry my dear lovelies. My pots have been very scarce.
But something that had managed to escape my notice until now is that...
I HAVE REACHED 50 FOLLOWERS.
I'm actually almost at 60, so I'm a little late. Once again, I apologize. I wanna thank you all for reading my posts and following my blog! I've only been blogging for a few months but already it had opened me up to so many opportunities.
When I reach 100 followers, I'm pretty sure there will be a big giveaway. I'm not sure how big or what exactly I'll be giving away yet, but I'm sure I can collect some boos by then!
In the mean time, hop on the Once Upon A Blog Hop, starting October 3rd, where there will be lots of great prizes being handed out. Thanks again, all of you.
