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Girls*Heart* Books: August 2012

Friday, August 31, 2012

Cover Reveal & Giveaway for "The Modified" by C.A. Kunz


What would you sacrifice to save the one’s you love? To save the one who holds your heart? To save the world?

Kenley Grayson is all too familiar with these questions.

After Earth is thrust into its first intergalactic war with an unknown race called the Bringers, our military forces begin to suffer heavy losses. Desperate for a solution, the Allied Federation issues a worldwide draft for every able seventeen-year-old to enlist. As Kenley turns seventeen, she finds herself thrown into the very war that took her older brother’s life.

This year’s draft is a little different than in the past though. A new program, known as the Magnus Project, has been introduced, and only the best and brightest qualify. Kenley is amongst a select few whom are chosen to join this elite group of soldiers, and as a part of this project, undergoes a modification procedure that leaves her and her peers endowed with powers beyond their wildest dreams.

As Earth continues in its struggle against the Bringers, Kenley is transported to a high-tech training facility, the Magnus Academy, to prepare for the major battle that lies ahead. It’s here that she meets the California heartthrob, and son of a legendary war hero, Landon Shaw. As unexpected feelings toward Landon begin to develop, Kenley wonders if this is the right time or place for romance to bloom, especially when those feelings start to interfere with her training.

With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Kenley is constantly reminded of how important she and the rest of the Magnus cadets are to the fate of humanity. She is one of the Modified, Earth’s last line of defense against utter destruction.
And now for the giveaway! 



a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Modified releases this Fall!

Like the cover for The Modified? Well then head over to Nathan Szerdy’s website and peruse his amazing collection of works. We guarantee that you won’t be disappointed!



The mom and son author duo, C.A. Kunz, thoroughly enjoys writing about things that go bump in the night and futuristic action-packed romances while drinking massive amounts of English breakfast tea and Starbucks coffee. To find out more about this duo and their books visit their blog, or find them on Facebook and Twitter!


Thursday, August 30, 2012

Treasured Thursdays: Most Treasured 'I love you' 's


Treasured Thursday is a weekly event created by Touya over at The Reader's Garden that is all about our most treasured. We're hosting it here now, for those of you who are interested in joining me. This week our topic is our most treasured 'I love you' 's. Confused? Well, let me explain. You know those scenes in your favorite books when the hero or the heroine FINALLY spills how they feel? That's what I'm talking about today. 

Mine is simple, and yes, I know I'm talking A LOT about this book lately but I really do adore it. The way Daniel Montisauri confesses his feelings to Farley in Frankie Rose's Sovereign Hope is phenomenal. Since I'm flying solo for this week, I'll share the scene in it's entirety. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. 
He fixed her in his gaze and set his jaw, his hands twitching at his sides. "You feel something for me," he said, daring her to try and deny it. 
There was no point trying to hide it now. She looked away, numb. 
"You can't feel that way about me." He lowered his voice. "It'll only get you hurt."
"Oh, come on! That's so cliche! What's that even supposed to mean?" 
"It means my life is one that prevents me from the luxury of silly romantic notions. I can't have you look at me the way you just did. I don't care what Agatha's told you, or what she thinks she knows. This isn't going to happen, okay?"
Silly romantic notions? Farley's embarrassment quickly moved aside to make room for her anger. "Agatha hasn't told me anything. None of you ever do. You're right, I do feel something for you, but don't worry. From your reaction, it's pretty clear that the feeling's not mutual. I'm not some crazy stalker. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't flatter yourself into thinking that I'm completely head over heels in love with you. So just go!" she screamed, destroyed by his words and the feelings of rejection that coursed through her. 
"You don't understand."
"I think I do."
"No! You don't!" The hard look in his eyes morphed into something more pained and desperate. He stepped forward and grabbed her roughly by the arms, the same way he had done in the silo. 
"I sat there and watched you for months. Months! I watched you everywhere you went; I watched you when you didn't go anywhere at all! When you were so low you couldn't even leave the house. I watched the most beautiful person I'd ever seen get screwed over by the cops and have her life threatened on a daily basis without her even knowing it."
Farley stared up at him-frozen and unblinking-his words barraging her.
"How do you think I felt when I found you bleeding and broken on the floor of Aldan's room? I thought you were dead!" He stood, his eyes on fire, with something terrible strewn across his face. His voice dropped to barely more than a whisper. "We've got a war about to be unleashed here-one that I'm going to die for. One where you and I are an impossibility. So I don't get to tell you that I love you. And you don't get to look at me like that."
~Sovereign Hope by Frankie Rose-Kindle location 2808

Intense, right?? I get chills every time I read it!! Kudos to Frankie Rose! And by the way, if you guys have not read this book yet, I really don't know what you're waiting for! 

This is my most treasured, what's yours? 


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Origin by Jessica Khoury



"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly even hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we're super excited about. This week, my pick is:



Origin

By: Jessica Khoury

Expected Publication Date: September 4th, 2012, by Razorbill

Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. She was raised by a team of scientists who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds her sterile home--and sneaks outside the compound for the first time in her life.

Free in the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together, they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia's origin--a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.

Origin is a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost. This is supremely compelling debut novel that blends the awakening romance of Matched with the mystery and jungle conspiracy of Lost.
I've been following Jessica on Facebook for a while now, and the more I hear about this book, the more I want to read it. Though, look at that cover. This looks like one I'd just pick up and buy even if I didn't have a clue what it was about..
And the summary tiptoes on a dangerous ground- it brings up a favorite book of mine (Matched), and a show I'll be attempting to start, soon, and will probably like. Heightening the expectations. Though, I believe she's pulled it off. We'll see ;)

This is my, "Waiting on", what's yours?

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: Forsaken by Kristen Day


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can participate! All you have to do is:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser this week is from:
Forsaken by Kristen Day

"He turned toward me, "That's an honor I don't deserve," his eyes softened and he ran a finger over my lips, "but I'll spend every minute of the rest of my life trying to earn it." What was left of the walls around my heart melted away, collecting in a puddle at my feet."

Kindle Location 2722

That's my teaser, what's yours? 

Monday, August 27, 2012

Tithe by Holly Black: Review

Tithe
Modern Faerie Tales #1 
By Holly Black
Published By:Margaret K. McElderry
Publication Date: April 2004


Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms - a struggle that could very well mean her death. (from Goodreads

Tithe is the first book in Holly Black's Modern Faerie Tales series.  I love Holly Black and I've had this book hanging out on my to read list for so long, I had to take a break from my requests and check it out. I'm really glad I did because it is a phenomenal read.

Black tells the story in third person narrative and I really enjoyed seeing the plot unfurl from the different perspectives.  It helps draw you in and hook you from the very beginning. The vivid descriptions make this book both terrifying and humorous; it's a definite page turner. 

I love Holly Black's writing style. She is descriptive and gritty and simply wonderful. I have loved every one of her books I've read so far.  Black has a knack for creating these beautifully flawed and sometimes completely messed up but still immensely likable characters. She provides the complete package, in my opinion. 

Overflowing with humor, romance, action and intrigue this book is a must read. Especially for those who love to read about the fey. I can't wait to read the rest of this series. 

My Rating: 
Holly Black is a best-selling author of contemporary fantasy novels for kids, teens, and adults. She is the author of the Modern Faerie Tale series (Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside), The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Tony DiTerlizzi), and The Good Neighbors graphic novels (with Ted Naifeh). She is also the co-editor of three anthologies, Geektastic (with Cecil Castellucci), Zombies vs. Unicorns(with Justine Larbalestier), and Welcome to Bordertown (with Ellen Kushner). Her most recent works are The Poison Eaters and Other Stories, a collection of short fiction, and The Curse Worker series (White Cat, Red Glove, and Black Heart). She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, Theo, in a house with a secret library.
Follow Holly Black:

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Review: Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Girl, Stolen
April Henry
Published: September 28th, 2012, by Henry Holt and Co.
Sixteen-year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of the car while her stepmom fills a prescription for antibiotics. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, the car is being stolen. 

Griffin hadn't meant to kidnap Cheyenne and once he finds out that not only does she have pneumonia, but that's she's blind, he really doesn't know what to do. When his dad finds out that Cheyenne's father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes- now there's a reason to keep her.

How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare?



I bought Girl, Stolen I have no idea how many years ago from Barnes & Noble, and my very-slow-reading-self has finally finished it after owning it forevER. Don't get discouraged- the lengthly time it took me to read it has nothing to do with the quality of the book. 


Girl, Stolen is about a girl, Cheyenne, who's the daughter of the president of Nike. She is also blind. And has pneumonia. And she has been accidentally kidnapped by a carjacker. This sounds about as ludicrous as it gets, but the novel, in all actuality, drug me in and kept my attention from the start to finish, even if my genius self lost the book under the bed and found it early this year. *duh*


The novel is filled with suspense and tension, all the while teasing you with Griffin's concern for Cheyenne's wellbeing. I don't think I imagined the feelings there, but I have a pretty strong head-canon, so I'd form your own opinions about this one.


What I truly loved was how well Henry depicted Cheyenne. It didn't seem fake or overdramatized, her blindness, even if her pneumonia, I believe, wasn't mentioned as urgently as it should have been. Maybe I am a dramahog and don't know how much is too much, but this seemed like something you'd fret about more than some lunatic trying to bribe money out of your dad... Just saying.


Overall I think this was great. Terrifying and blunt, this will definitely be something I reread many times!



My Rating:




Friday, August 24, 2012

Friday Fever

Lana and I have decided to start a new feature here at Girls *Heart* Books, it's called Friday Fever. Every Friday we will showcase one of our favorite steamy and/or romantic scenes from the YA & New Adult universe. You know the ones we are talking about; those that get your pulse thumping and your temperature rising. Enjoy.

This week, I've chosen a scene from Andrea Cremer's, Nightshade. I read this book a while back but never got to the others in the series due to my ever-growing to read list. This week I've been listening to the book in audio to refresh my memory and I was reminded how very steamy the entire book is. So here it is, one of my favorite steamy scenes from Nightshade.


" “What are you doing?” I tried to pull away, but his hand slipped from my hair to cup the nape of my neck.

When he whispered, his warm breath brushed over my lips. “Just let me kiss you, Calla. You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to. No one has to know.”

My lips parted as I drew a sudden, startled breath and in that instant his mouth was on mine, soft as velvet. I closed my eyes against the rush of a hundred wings that suddenly beat in my chest and soared through my body.

His scent was all around me. Leather, sandalwood, bonfires in autumn. He pulled back, but only for the sake of moving his lips to trail over my neck.

My blood was on fire and I was shaking. Is this really happening?

I couldn’t stop thinking about Shay in the clearing. About asking him to kiss me. The electric touch of his lips on mine.

But this is where I belong. I tried to push the memories back.

Ren stroked my knee, his fingers wandering up my thigh, sliding beneath the hem of my dress.

I grabbed his wrist. “Wait.”

He didn’t free his arm from my grasp but continued kissing my collar bone.

“Let’s skip the waiting part,” he murmured into my skin.”

My goodness! Is anyone else warm? 

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Treasured Thursdays: Most Treasured Indie Authors


Treasured Thursday is a weekly event created by Touya over at The Reader's Garden that is all about our most treasured. We're hosting it here now, for those of you who are interested in joining me. This week our topic is our most treasured Indie authors! 

I thought this was going to be a very hard choice for me when Lana and I first discussed it. Honestly, there are so many wonderful Indie authors out there; how do we pick just one? So, I asked myself which characters had stuck with me the most after I put their book down? And I realized this wasn't hard at all. My most treasured Indie author is Frankie Rose, author of the highly addictive Hope series.

 I was hooked on Ms. Rose's writing from the very first sentence of Sovereign Hope; she has created the most dynamic and unique characters I've read in a while and I just adore them.  Her books are exquisitely crafted and superbly written with emotion and action; I recommend them to everyone I know who loves to read.  

Sovereign Hope is out now- available in both ebook and paperback, and the second installment, Eternal Hope is due out in October. You can check our archives for my reviews of both books. I promise you'll enjoy the ride if you decide to check them out. 


Frankie Rose was born in the United Kingdom, but now lives with her husband in sunny Australia.

She officially makes things up for a living, and when she's not doing that, she is generally making paper birds out of receipts and old lists or taking photographs that make her smile.


Follow Frankie Rose: 
Website

Now, this was really hard for me. Even though I hadn't read an Indie Author book until recently. They scared me. Errors scare me, and for some reason, I forgot about the little thing called, "editing". Duh. Now I love them; I would much rather read something by an independent author than anything else. It makes me happy to know someone didn't come by and change the entire story because they didn't like it. 

That being said, I have been thinking about this all week. But in reality, this really wasn't that difficult, when I considered it. I have told everyone about her books, I am going to order a paperback to have on my shelf, and never let anyone touch it because her book is that good, and her characters are all wonderful. I don't hate any of them (and I always hate at least someone...). I'm talking about J Meyers.

I'm starting to sound like a broken record with how much I talk about Intangible now, aren't I? Oh, well. Maybe you will go read it then. This is a wonderful book! And Intuition (the prequel) is a cute little back story. And it's not some random "I felt like writing" story- It is mentioned in Intangible, and I love that! Everything braids together and it makes me oh so happy! J Meyers is definitely my most treasured :)











J. Meyers grew up in Vermont and now lives in Central New York. When she's not reading or writing, she's chasing her four kids around, exploring the outdoors with them, relishing the few quiet moments she gets with her husband, baking sweet treats, and forgetting to make dinner. Though she cannot actually see the future nor heal with a touch of her hand, she likes to think her children believe she can. Intangible is her first novel.

Find J on her:
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

"Waiting on" Wednesday: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're super excited about. This week, my pick is:

The Lost Prince
The Iron Fey: The Call of the Forgotten: Book #1 
By: Julie Kagawa
Published By: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: October 23, 2012 

Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them. 
That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs-including his reputation-begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.
Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world-the land of the Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.
My name is Ethan Chase and I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday. (from Goodreads)

I loved the Iron Fey series, and I am so excited that Julie has decided to return to that wonderful world she's created. I can't wait! This is my 'Waiting on', what's yours? 




Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can participate! All you have to do is:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser this week is from:




 The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton

'But the guy sitting at the table next to me who'd been imagining killing his wife and was now imagining seducing me wasn't the problem. No, it was the guy sitting across from me, the man with the bright orange hunting cap pulled low over his eyes, the guy waiting for the right moment to rob the cafe...he was the one who worried me.'

Kindle Location 28

This is my teaser, what's yours?


Monday, August 20, 2012

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare: Review


City of Lost Souls 

Mortal Instruments Book #5 
By : Cassandra Clare
Published By: Margaret K. McElderry
Publication Date: May 8, 2012 
Can the lost be reclaimed? What price is too high to pay for love? Who can be trusted when sin and salvation collide?
Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge.
Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series. (from Goodreads)
 City of Lost Souls is the fifth book in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series. This installment picks up two weeks from the end of City of Fallen Angels and really hits the ground running. There isn't a dull moment to be found in the entire book.  In my opinion, this was one of the best in the series so far.

Clare's characters are the very best part of her books, in my opinion. Their depth and growth in this episode is evident in their actions and, in some cases, the lack thereof. Clary, especially, is changing and growing (thankfully!) and instead of wanting to smack her in every other chapter, there was only once when I felt she needed to get a stern talking to. Magnus remains my very favorite character in this series, though. He adds humor, intelligence and of course, his own special brand of sarcasm to the mix and I don't know if I'd enjoy the books as much were he not present. 

Like it's predecessors, this book is bulging with action, romance and humor. The narrative flows seamlessly between perspectives and helps to keep you enthralled with the unfolding drama. Clare has given us another gem to devour. These books are among my very favorites and I am eagerly awaiting the last part of this series.  

My Rating:

Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Teheran, Iran and spent much of her childhood travelling the world with her family, including one trek through the Himalayas as a toddler where she spent a month living in her father’s backpack. She lived in France, England and Switzerland before she was ten years old.

Since her family moved around so much she found familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called “The Beautiful Cassandra” based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and which later inspired her current pen name).

After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban landscape of Manhattan, her favourite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.

Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of her two cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.

City of Bones was her first novel.

Follow Cassandra Clare: 

Sunday, August 19, 2012

'Thirteen Reasons Why' by Jay Asher: Review

Thirteen Reasons Why
By:Jay Asher
Published By: Razorbill
Publication Date: October 18, 2007

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. (from Goodreads)


Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is one of those books that I have been meaning to pick up and read for what feels like forever. When I found it at my favorite used book store a  month ago, I instantly snatched it up.  While I can't say I exactly 'enjoyed' it, I am glad I finally read this book. This book broke my heart but I had to finish it, to find out what it was that pushed Hannah into feeling like suicide was the only answer for her.

With a dual narrative, this tale unfolds in a very unique way. We see the story through the eyes of Clay, one of the recipients of Hannah's tapes, and we hear Hannah's reasons as he does. The book spans the course of a day and I was completely sucked in from the beginning. It's extremely well written, though it is definitely different from anything else I've ever read. 

I can say for sure that I will never forget this book, it has sunk it's teeth into my heart and I'll be contemplating it for some time. The message in the pages is an important one and I think as hard as it is to read this girl's goodbye to a world that seemed determined to keep her down, you simply HAVE to read it. All teens should be made to read this book. Asher has touched on a difficult, but all too common issue that needs to be addressed. 

Well written, thought provoking and emotional, this book will keep you riveted from beginning to end. Even though you know Hannah's ending, there are still a few surprises mixed in that will leave you feeling hollow and aching, but hopeful.  Kudos to Jay Asher, this book is a must read.
My Rating:



Jay Asher was born in Arcadia, California on September 30, 1975. He grew up in a family that encouraged all of his interests, from playing the guitar to his writing. He attended Cuesta College right after graduating from high school. It was here where he wrote his first two children’s books for a class called Children’s Literature Appreciation. At this point in his life, he had decided he wanted to become an elementary school teacher. He then transferred to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo where he left his senior year in order to pursue his career as a serious writer. Throughout his life he worked in various establishments, including as a salesman in a shoe store and in libraries and bookstores. Many of his work experiences had an impact on some aspect of his writing.

He has published only one book to date, Thirteen Reasons Why, which was published in October 2007. He is currently working on his second Young Adult novel, and has written several picture books and screenplays. Thirteen Reasons Why has won several awards and has received five stars from Teen Book Review. It also has received high reviews from fellow authors such as Ellen Hopkins, Chris Crutcher, and Gordon Kormon.


Follow Jay Asher: