Stacking the Shelves (3/30/13)

Time for another Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where I share the books that I've added to my shelves this week:

WON

• There are just too many to list, so I offer you a collective picture of all the pretties! These came in one box, a huge February giveaway win from the triple threat (bookseller, book blogger, and writer) that is Bibliopunkk! If you don't follow her blog, definitely do!

PURCHASED - USED

• Divergent by Veronica Roth (PBK) - Resist? I think not. *pets*
• False Memory by Dan Krokos (HBK) - Library copy, but in excellent condition. I've heard it's pretty good.
• Changeling by Philippa Gregory (PBK) - Not really my thing, but for $1 in excellent condition I just couldn't help myself. I have an addiction, I tell you.
• Shinobi Life by Shoko Conami (Vols. 4 & 7) (PBK) - Loved Volume 1, but unfortunately can't touch these until I get the rest of them. And since the publisher went under, it's going to be difficult. T-T Still, couldn't resist when I saw them - they're out of print!
• Blameless by Gail Carriger (MMP) - (Parasol Protectorate Series bk. 3) Reading copy! 

So what books did you add to your shelves this week?

2nd Annual Book Fast! Join Me?

Yes, it's back. Although I kind of swore that I wouldn't do it to myself again, here I am, scheduling another one.

The 2nd Annual Book Fast.

Book Fast is a commitment for me, as a writer, to put reading on the back burner for one week and spend most of my normal leisure reading-time writing. (You can find the initial post of my First Annual Book Fast here.) This doesn't mean I don't read at all - reading just becomes the reward for completing a daily word count. When the words are written, I can read all I like. But until they are, I must refrain and buckle down to do the work. (This is a little different from the First Book Fast, where I wasn't allowed to read at all. That, however, almost killed me, so alterations were made.)

So here's how the 2nd Annual Book Fast works:

• Book Fast will run seven days, Sunday to Saturday, April 7th to 13th. I will only be working two days that week, so I'll have even more writing time!

• My daily word count is 500 words Tues/Thurs/Sat, and 1,000 words Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun. These are word counts I already know from experience that I can easily meet. If I get more words in, sweet, but if I suddenly find myself struggling for time, I can still accomplish what I've allotted. (Special Note: extra words cannot be carried over to the next day. I do not have set overall word goal, but a set daily goal, and each day's goal must be met on that particular day.)

• Once my daily word count is reached, I am allowed to read whatever I like. But before the word count is made, I am only allowed to read research materials for the WIP I am working on.

• The WIP I will be working on is Project P. I know, I know, it's horribly complicated, but I'd really like to finish it despite the controversy right now. So continue it I shall.

It's simple, it's dirty, but hopefully it will finally get me back into writing after a long and rather painful stagnation of late.

Another change this time is that I am giving a little bit more notice so that I can ask if anyone wants to officially join me? It's only one week, and the daily word count is yours to set (I suggest something you can easily accomplish but possibly surpass on a good day). After the week you can go back to your normal life and reading patterns as if nothing happened. But if your writing routine is lacking, or you just need that extra little push to finish a project or reach a word goal, or you just need to put in some serious writing time right now, then Book Fast may be the thing for you! 

BOOK BLOGGERS: This might also be a good project for all you book bloggers out there as well! I've chatted with some of you on Twitter about how you never have time to write posts since you're so busy reading. Perhaps you could go on a special Book Fast of your own - delegate, say, one hour a day of reading time instead to blogging. Build up a nice, comfy backlog of pre-scheduled posts, and then after the week you can dig in and read to your heart's content, knowing your blog is already stocked and ready to continue without you for a while. ;)

Be you writer or book blogger, if you decide to join me for the 2nd Annual Book Fast, I would love to know! Comment below with your commitment (daily word count and project), or post about it on your own blog - I'll have an official starting post on April 7th where you can comment the link for others to connect with you as well. And I'll be on Twitter periodically every day that week to tweet about my progress - and chat with and encourage anyone who joins with me in this daunting but doable project. 

Whether you join me or not, wish me luck! Considering how much I've been reading lately I may go into a bit of withdrawal, but I know the end result will be worth it. :)

Waiting On Wednesday: Wild Justice

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event hosted by Breaking the Spine, in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Wild Justice (Nadia Stafford Series, Book 3)

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: October/November 2013

Summary (from Goodreads):

Protect the innocent. If there is any one principle that drives hit man Nadia Stafford, it’s this. In her own mind, when she was thirteen, she failed to protect her older cousin Amy from being murdered. Now she fails again, disastrously, when she botches a hit. To help her find her equilibrium, her mentor, Jack, brings her a gift: the location and new identity of the predator who killed her cousin and disappeared after the case against him failed.

Vengeance, justice? With the predator in her sights, nothing seems more right, more straightforward, more easy. But finding justice is never as simple as it seems.

Why I'm Looking Forward To It: Before you wonder why you've probably never heard of this series by Kelley Armstrong, it's one of her adult series - not YA. It's extremely rare for me to be excited about an adult book, but Nadia Stafford is one of the few exceptions - and I've been excited about this book for quite a while. The first released in 2007, the second in 2009, so needless to say I've been waiting on this, the third, for quite a few years now. Considering how long it's been since I've read the first two, my reasoning for why I love them is a little fuzzy, but what I do remember is that she and her mentor are meant to be together, darn it, and I'm willing to wait, and read, as long as it takes for this to happen. :)

So what book are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Birthday Giveaway WINNER!

The winner of my birthday week giveaway, for an ARC of Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger, has been chosen!

Brett J.

Congratulations, Brett!!! XD I hope you enjoy E&E as much as I did.

Thank you to everyone for entering the giveaway, and for all your birthday wishes! I had a fabulous day, and I hope your birthday this year is just as wonderful. :)

Review: Pivot Point (Kasie West)

Title: Pivot Point
Series: Pivot Point duology, Book 1
Author: Kasie West
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy Mystery
Told: First Person (Addie), Present Tense
Content Rating: Teen (sensuality, minor violence, minor language)
Format Read: ARC (trade)
Find It On: Goodreads 
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary: 

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

*          *          *

Writing: Fun, laid back, highly engaging prose. Excellent delivery, dialogue, and tension - overall a very well-written book. Near the end I got a little lost with the alternating chapters, but I believe it was a smart set-up that worked well.

Setting: There were two "worlds" - the Compound, where the Para-community live in secret, and the Normal world. Both felt natural, most of the time interchangeable except where powers were concerned. None of the "upgrades" in the Compound felt overly foreign; the powers themselves were pretty low-key, to the point where the reason for their existence wasn't even really explained. At the beginning, the "fact" that "Normals only use 10% of their brain" is mentioned, so Paras could be using so much more thereby giving them powers, but as "10%" is a myth I was glad when Kasie didn't stick to it. I really would've liked some type of explanation, but it wasn't important to the story.

Story: I thought this was going to be about how Addie sees two futures, picks one, and then what happens is different from what she saw. Instead, the entire book followed both futures in alternating chapters, Para & Norm. And it was a mystery - sort of. The clues were subtle yet obvious (to me, anyway), and often had me exclaiming my surprise and excitement out loud as the pieces fell into place. The tension was constant and gradually escalated at just the right pace until the very end - and I expected a different ending, so definite props there for the surprise. (Although I kind of wish it had been what I expected - I'm hard to please like that. ;)

Characters: Addie felt very normal to me, even with her rare and extraordinary ability, but this was not a bad thing - she was capable of mistakes and courage and misunderstandings and All The Human Things, and this made her highly relatable. As far as the boys were concerned, I am definitely Team Trevor - I never liked Duke, although that could've simply been because I don't like sports (especially football). I never quite trusted Laila, and had mixed feeling about her at the end. The parents were never "too" either way - they simply felt like parents, with their quirks and faults. Overall, a normal and highly relatable bunch, even if some of them did have powers.

Conclusion: This was a highly engaging read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I would even recommend it as a textbook to writers for delivering clues and escalating tension. I don't know where Kasie plans to take this  series (it read like a stand-alone), but I'm ready and willing to find out.

Scribble Rating: 

5 of 5 Scribbles

Stacking the Shelves (3/24/13)

Time for another Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where I share the books that I've added to my shelves this week:

WON

• The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar (ARC) - I've been scrambling to get my hands on this pretty for months now, and finally won it from the wonderful author, who signed and personalized it for me - with birthday wishes! It's now on the top of my TBR pile.

TRADED

• Loop by Shandy Lawson (ARC) - Turned out to be surprisingly thin! Should be a quick read, and looks pretty good.
• The Trouble With Flirting by Claire LaZebnik (ARC) - A fluffy read I'm really looking forward to. Thanks to The Bumble Girl at Bumbles and Fairytales for trading with me! :)
• Until I Die by Amy Plum (ARC) - (Revenants, Book 2) Really excited to read this series - I'm expecting Book 3 any day now, so I plan to tackle the entire trilogy at once. (See Book 1 below.)
• Fang Girl by Helen Keeble (PBK) - Looked interesting enough, and it was a good trade. 
• Legend by Marie Lu (HBK) - Finally got a copy of this to re-read so I can get around to Prodigy!

PURCHASED - NEW

• Die For Me by Amy Plum (PBK) - I hadn't really given this series a second look, but after winning Book 3 I looked into it - and found it was totally up my alley! I was lucky enough to trade for an ARC of Book 2, and found this brand new paperback of Book 1 waiting for me at the bookstore. Talk about a series score! :)

PURCHASED - USED

• Bruised by Sarah Skilton (ARC) - Couldn't believe I found an ARC of this at the library Friends.
• Thursday Next: First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde (HBK) - Ever had one of those series that is just your thing so you collect them, but you can't bring yourself to actually read them? This is one of mine.
• The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks (MMP) - Assassins, and it was a pocket paperback. MINE.
• Heartless by Gail Carriger (MMP) - (Parasol Protectorate, Book 4) Snagged a reading copy!

So what books did you add to your shelves this week?

Currently...Celebrating

It's time for another entry in my "Currently..." segment, in which I let you know what I'm currently up to on a number of highly important topics.

This week is my birthday week! Be sure to check out my 2013 birthday picks and enter the giveaway on my special post here.

I AM CURRENTLY...

READING:

Novels: Just finished re-reading The Selection. When I first picked it up last year, I thought it was a stand-alone - imagine my horror when I discovered it, in fact, wasn't. There was a lot of screaming involved, and a rambling tirade of a review that will never see publication. But going into it this time with full knowledge of what I was getting myself into, it turned out to be a fabulous read - just goes to show I'm the type that needs full disclosure. Now I'm devouring The Elite, and quite enjoying it as well.
Manga: Another Yotsuba& finally came into the library! This series is so adorable, even though it has to be read in several sittings, for some reason - too much makes me a little loopy.

WATCHING:

TV: Our house adores Murdoch Mysteries, a Canadian historical mystery series. Murdoch is all about using science and deduction to catch his perpetrators, although our favorite character is the protege and now-novelist Constable Crabtree. ;) If you haven't given this series a try, definitely do. And next week will see the return of Revolution! I hadn't heard anything about it in a while so I thought it had been cut, but lo and behold the commercials have begun again. It's not one of my favorite series, but as it's dystopian and not too bad I couldn't help but get hooked.
Movies: I finally got my hands on Wreck-It Ralph! I've been looking forward to this movie for a while. It was really cute, and now I'm a total Vanellope fan. SHE IS SO ADORABLE.

WRITING:

Project P: Due to way too many similarities to an upcoming release, Project P has been put on hold until I can read the offending book and determine just how similar the similarities are. So far, just off the summary, it may be up for the Trunk. T-T
Project V: I pulled out several older projects to possibly take up once more, and as always Project V is the one that stands out. I'm now perusing my notes again.
New Project: Who has a new story idea about an alien abduction? I have no idea what you're talking about.

LIFE, THE UNIVERSE, AND EVERYTHING ELSE:

Blogging: This week has been busy! I now post religiously every Monday (a book review) and Wednesday (usually for the meme Waiting On Wednesday), and try to post something every Friday. It makes for a lot of bustling on my part, but I enjoy it.

Bookshelf: I have been blessed with some luck this 2013. I've made a few pretty awesome trades, and won a few giveaways! Needless to say, though, my TBR pile is INSANE.

Giveaways: My birthday giveaway of an ARC of Etiquette & Espionage is still running here! You have until tomorrow midnight to enter - good luck!

That's it for me. What are you "currently" up to?

Waiting On Wednesday: Transparent

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event hosted by Breaking the Spine, in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Transparent

Author: Natalie Whipple

Release Date: May 21, 2013

Summary (from Goodreads):

Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.

An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.

After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.

Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl.

Why I'm Looking Forward To It: I can't believe I haven't showcased Transparent yet! I've only been waiting on this book since Natalie announced its existence. I even put the countdown widget on my sidebar, for heaven's sake! (My first and only countdown widget, so far.) This is going to be one of my favorite books of 2013, no question. 

So what book are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Teaser Tuesday: The Elite

It's time for Teaser Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading, where you open your current read to a random page and pick two teaser sentences.

This week I'm re-reading The Selection by Kiera Cass, in preparation to tackle the upcoming sequel and today's teaser title, The Elite, due to release in late April (Goodreads). Today's sentences are the very first of the book, and are quite squeeful, in my opinion. Flipping around, though, I can tell you that America still has a lot to learn - and I may have caught sight of a catfight. Or two. ;} Enjoy!

"The Angeles air was quiet, and for a while I lay still, listening to the sound of Maxon's breathing. It was getting harder and harder to catch him in a truly calm and happy moment, and I soaked up the time, grateful that he seemed to be at his best when he and I were alone."

So what are you reading this week?

Review: The Archived (Victoria Schwab)

Title: The Archived
Series: The Archived, Book 1
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: January 22, 2013
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy
Told: mostly First Person (Mackenzie), Present Tense
Content Rating: Teen (some language, sensuality, violence, scary images)
Format Read: Hardcover
Find It On: Goodreads
Summary: 

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often—violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

*          *          *

Writing: Well written, smooth action. On occasion the dialogue was rather brilliant.

Setting: As far as I can recall, there were only three locations - the Coronado, the Narrows, and the Archives. That's it. As it's summer break, we never set foot out of these three locations (which, technically, were just the Coronado). And until I wrote this review, I never noticed. Ms. Schwab kept the entire story in three constricted locations, but I never felt constricted, and for this I give her major props. (If I'm wrong, please remind me where. I'm extremely curious!) There isn't much to the locations - in the big picture, they are vague and leave much to the imagination. But the beauty is found in the little details: the gargoyles on the Coronado roof, the chalk markings on the doors of the Narrows, the "Quiet Please" sign on the Archive desk. They hum among the blur and make each location come alive.

Story: It took a few chapters to get into, but by the middle I was burning through the book and hated to put it down. The story got a little complicated about two-thirds through with too many plot threads going at once, but it eventually smoothed back out. The climax was fast, and the end wrapped up nicely. Ms. Schwab closed it off as a complete book, but also left it open-ended for the sequel. The only thing I didn't particularly like were the journal-esque entries - I felt they threw off the momentum of the story since they were in a stinted, odd tense.

Characters: Mackenzie was a little too much of a tortured soul for me, what with her whole family situation, but thankfully her angst fell just short of smothering the story - most of the time. Ignoring the whole her-and-Owen situation, I otherwise liked her for the most part - she had strength and determination and her love was a fierce and almost frightening creature. I adored Wesley, with his playful attitude and intense loyalty. Owen was a bit of a mystery to me - I never quite got a handle on him, which made sense in the end. Da confused me the entire way through - I thought he was a her until Chapter 2, so my mental picture of him was always of a small chain-smoking old woman (awkward). And of course I liked Roland - who couldn't like Roland? ;)

Relationships: I didn't really get Mac's justification for her relationship with Owen. I mean, I knew why, but as she was also falling for Wes at the same time, I didn't like that there was no confliction in her. At all. One minute she's flirting with Wes with no thought of Owen, the next she's kissing Owen with no thought of Wes. She should have been conflicted in some way, have some overlap where she thought of one while she was with the other. Confliction is essentially internal conflict, and I felt she was missing some in this area.

Conclusion: I highly enjoyed this book, and will definitely be reading it again. And I look forward to seeing where Ms. Schwab takes the story and the characters in the next book!

Scribble Rating: 

4 1/2 of 5 Scribbles

Birthday Week Picks & Giveaway!

It's my birthday week!!! \(*0*)/ *throws confetti* And what an awesome week it will be! Not only am I expecting some awesome books in the post, but it sees the release of both a book and a music album I'm super-excited about! I'm literally vibrating with excitement right now! XD

My birthday week plans consist of a lot of heavy reading and stalking the mail carrier - glamorous and exciting, I know! :} I hope to get some writing done too, if at all possible - maybe my Muse will show up for the cake and give me some of her precious time as a birthday present (a girl can dream. ;).

For this wordly blog, the week will see a review of one of my favorite 2013 reads on Monday, mention of one of my most anticipated 2013 reads for Waiting on Wednesday, and a shiny new Currently... post on Friday! I'll also be squeezing in a book teaser on Tuesday - from Kiera Cass's upcoming The Elite!

But enough about my fabulous plans - what are these releases I'm so excited about?? Without further ado, my 2013 birthday book and music picks!:

BOOK PICK 

Title: The Art of Wishing

Author: Lindsay Ribar

Summary: Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?

But Oliver is more than just a genie -- he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A whole lot more.

Why: I heard about this book when they announced its release last year and was immediately struck by just how me it is. I've been scrambling to get an ARC for months (reading a book in paperback is the only way I truly enjoy it), and I finally won myself a copy last week - from the author herself!!! It arrived in the mail yesterday, to much squealing, and I now own a personalized, signed copy! My birthday = MADE.

Releases: March 21, 2013

Find It On: Goodreads

MUSIC PICK

Artist: Kacey Musgraves

Album: Same Trailer Different Park

Why: I became addicted to the song Merry Go 'Round when they first played it on the radio many months ago, and it hasn't lost it's hold on me since. A snippet listen has found that the rest of the album should prove just as awesome (Dandelion, especially), so I'm looking forward to a Tuesday trip to Target to grab me a copy!

Releases: March 19, 2013

Find It On: Amazon

GIVEAWAY!

And now, to give you a reason celebrate my birthday with me, I'm giving away another one of my favorite 2013 reads - Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger! (You can find my gushing review of it here.) I was lucky enough to snag another ARC, so enter below for a chance to win this awesome read! (U.S. only - sorry!) Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to everyone for celebrating my birthday week with me! I hope you have as awesome a week as I do! :)

Stacking the Shelves (3/16/13)

Time for another Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where I share the books that I've added to my shelves this week:

RECEIVED FOR REVIEW

• Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong & M.A. Marr (ARC) - Being billed as the next Percy Jackson - we shall see.

TRADED

• Poison by Bridget Zinn (ARC) - Really looking forward to this one! I hear it's awesome. 

PURCHASED - NEW

• D. Gray-man v. 23 by Katsura Hoshino (PBK) - I had stopped collecting this series, but Allen in clown makeup was too awesome not to own. And it was 1/2 off on B&N.com PLUS I had a 20% coupon. How could I possibly resist?

PURCHASED - USED

• Matched by Ally Condie (PBK) - Found a nice copy at Goodwill! MINE.
• Vanished by Meg Cabot (PBK) - Books 1 & 2 of the 1-800-Where-R-You Series - loved these when I read them a few years back. Another Goodwill snag - just couldn't help myself.
• Dengeki Daisy v. 9 by Kyousuke Motomi (PBK) - I stopped collecting it full-price, but couldn't resist it half price at a used bookstore.
• Game X Rush v. 1 by Mizuho Kusanagi (PBK) - Even though it's a Tokyopop title and I'm doomed never to read the full series, it's bodyguards and assassins - and at half price it couldn't be helped.
• Feedback (Variant #2) by Robison Wells (ARC) - I haven't read Variant yet, but I thought maybe I might like the series. And how was I supposed to resist it on clearance with a 30% off coupon?
• Red Glove (Curseworkers #2) by Holly Black (HBK) - I'd rather have it in paperback, but I love the original covers and as the new cover is on the paperback, so a compromise had to be made. Besides, it was less than $3.

(NOTE: Yes, I am one of those used/coupon/sale gals. I'm not ashamed of it - I have to be frugal. And as seen this week, it can pay off eventually if you're patient enough! :)

So what books did you add to your shelves this week?