Confessions of a Readaholic: January 2013

Otherkin by Nina Berry

Otherkin by Nina Berry

Release Date: July 31, 2012
Publisher: Kensington
Series: Otherkin, Book 1
Rated: YA 14+
Format: Paperback
Source: Borrowed
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Dez is a good girl who does as she's told and tries not to be noticed. Then she rescues a boy from a cage, and he tells her secrets about herself. Now inside her burns a darkness that will transform her.

Everything is about to change--and neither Caleb, nor the Otherkin, nor those who hunt them, are prepared for what Dez will unleash.

I haven't read a paranormal that involved shape shifters for a very long time, and I'm so glad that Otherkin was an enjoyable, amazing read. I got sucked in immediately– the action began from the first couple of pages itself. The idea for this novel is one which I've never seen within the young adult world. They're not like the shifters you'd expect– werewolves and other paranormal creatures. I loved being sucked into this world, a world of action and love, shifters and shadows.

I loved Dez, but I thought her willingness to step right into action had me a little skeptical. Other than that, I really thought her determination and fierce nature really made me enjoy the story through her eyes.
However, I just could not warm up to Caleb. I mean, sure, a couple of times I really fell for him, but it never lasted too long. In the end, I liked him more than I did before, but not much to make me fangirl over the top, squealing whenever he makes an appearance.

The "mythology" behind it all was a little hard for me to follow, but I thought it was highly original, a completely unique one-of-a-kind book with a background which no other has explored. I liked the idea of the shadow realms, and hope that makes a bigger appearance in the sequel.

Just a small review, but I'm sure it's clear when I say this book is bursting with uniqueness and you should NOT hesitate to pick it up! I loved Nina Berry's debut, and I'm sure I will with the second book, Othermoon!

If you like this, try...

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater ● Goodreads

Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway

Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway

Release Date: January 15, 2013
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Series: Touch of Death, Book 1
Rated: YA 14+
Format: ARC
Source: Author
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.

After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.

Jodi’s deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Jodi discovers she’s the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can’t figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

After reading The 13th Sign, I became a lot more familiar with Ophiuchus, and was surprised to see it make an appearance in Touch of Death as well. However, rather than just about the zodiac sign, this novel focused more on the mythology behind it, integrating the story of Medusa and Hades with a touch that can kill.
I really enjoyed this story– it's original, it's got good action, and it's got a storyline that makes sense. I was definitely hooked and intrigued throughout the novel. It had plenty of twists and turns which I didn't see coming– they caught me by complete surprise! The book had so much substance, and I found myself delving deeper into Hasway's novel.

Jodi was a character whom I had ups and downs with. I liked her, I definitely liked her, but then at times she's come off a little whiny? She's also very stubborn– something that goes with her sign! I really enjoyed learning more about her story, her hero's quest, and how she deals with being the "chosen one".
There's always gotta be this ONE guy! Alex was amazing. I mean, when Jodi was all like, "oh my gosh, he's a stalker guy!" and I was drooling all over. I mean, green eyes– that's all I needed, and he had me.
The rest of the characters are really interesting as well– the thing is, you really don't know who to trust. There's a ton of twists as I mentioned before, and people are changing personalities all over the place. I really felt bad for Jodi's mom. I mean, to not have a husband, and then lose her daughter, it's pretty sad. I was quite heartbroken about it! Jodi's mother is quite hilarious as she is quite young, she's got that "teenage" side to her as well as being the determined mom.

What I didn't enjoy too much was the pace of the novel. Most of the plot happens quite spread out, and I felt that some of it could have been done without. At the beginning, it seemed like it was mentioning what she was doing step by step, and it seemed as it was mainly filler. But later on, wow, the plot just picked up and blasted off at full speed! I loved the second half of the book definitely better than the first.

Overall, Touch of Death has me eagerly anticipating for the sequel, Stalked by Death. After that ending, I'm curious to see how this story continues out. Kelly Hashway has written an original paranormal which attract readers and mythology nerds alike.

▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Kelly Hashway for sending a copy of Touch of Death for review and BTG2013! ▪ ▪ ▪

If you like this, try...

The 13th Sign by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb ● Goodreads
Splintered by A.G. Howard ● Goodreads

In My Mailbox – Week 32

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's to showcase books which I've received, borrowed, bought, etc. throughout this week!
Another pretty exciting week for Books That Glow: YA & MG 2013. Yes, we've had a name change for our, and hopefully you all like it as much (or even more!) than the previous name. Anyway, onto the books!

Books

[Top to Bottom]

The Trouble With Flirting by Claire LaZebnik ● Goodreads
Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley ● Goodreads
The Language Inside by Holly Thompson ● Goodreads

Please ignore the SAT book underneath.
I'm pretty excited! I know another book is with Richa, but I can't wait till I get my ~~paws~~ hands on that when she's done :)

Thank you so much to all the authors mentioned above, as well as

Speaking of our event, yesterday I had the incredible opportunity to meet Holly Thompson (author of The Language Inside in my pic above!). She came to my school's other (East) campus, and she gave a presentation to teachers and librarians on Texts Worth Teaching: East Asia, and that is where she gave me an ARC of her upcoming The Language Inside. Of course, me begin neither a teacher or a librarian, I was extremely fortunate enough that Holly was amazing to invite me! I must admit, I felt out of place at first, and then I met the head librarian, Katie Day, and then BAM! we began talking about books. She even let me borrow three books out of their library– check it out:

...And once again, my SAT book makes an appearance.
I borrowed Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork. Both Katie and Holly were extremely enthusiastic about this book, so I decided, why not? Then comes Being Here by Barry Jonsberg. I have actually never heard of this book, so I'm definitely curious to see what it's about. And finally, a book which I've been DYING to read for so long, The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler. I really loved Thirteen Reasons Why by Asher, and so I'm definitely looking forward to digging into this!

Thank you so much to Katie Day for giving me these recommendations! And here are some pictures I took of the conference during Holly's presentation:

(sorry for the dark photo...)

(Holly and I)

And that is it once again, my lovelies, for this week's In My Mailbox! Once again, a huge thank you to all the authors above and Katie Day for making this a spectacular week. I can't wait to see what next week brings.

Until then, tell me:

What's in your mailbox?

Normalish by Margaret Lesh

Normalish by Margaret Lesh

Release Date: October 5, 2012
Publisher: Musa Publishing Euterpe Young Adult
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eBook
Source: Received for Blog Tour
Buy: Amazon
Goodreads ● Website

Fifteen-year-old Stacy questions the strange world of high school, love, her role in a harsh universe, and life, in Normalish.

People tell you high school's so great and wonderful, but they're lying. It's mostly horrible and full of disappointment. It sucks. Your best friend abandons you. The jerk you're in love with pretends to be into you, and then the big dump. The boy you've really clicked with as a friend decides to go all crushy over you, so you break his heart just like yours was -- smashed into little pieces. Your sister goes mental, and you get involved with a guy who’s even crazier than she is (who you know is a very bad idea, but you do it anyway). Math only adds another stink of failure to the whole thing.

High school blows. Just ask freshman Stacy. She’d want you to know.

Normal
nor ● mal
Conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected: Stacy's life is anything but normal.

This book hooked me in from the get-go. I'm a sucker for contemporaries or chick-flicks, even if it is a little clichéd or predictable. There's nothing I love more than a girl, her problems, and a couple of cute guys (even if one of them's a jerk).

Stacy is HILARIOUS. Me, being one to love humor of all sorts, was swept away with her sarcasm, her comebacks, her punchlines. I love anything (or anyone) that can make me laugh, and Stacy definitely did that. I could relate to her so well– she's just like a typical teenager! While I did think some parts were a little too emotional, I thought she was still an amazing main character.
Like I stated earlier– I love anything or anyone who makes me laugh and I've got one name to say to you. CHAD. My hilarious, dorky soulmate. Sweet, empathetic, gorgeous Chad. This book was really complete in the guy department because of you.
Bobby– total bad boy, and so was there an attraction between him and I, or rather, me towards him? Uh, heck yeah.

Normalish is a really quick read, and that's what I loved about it. I don't tend to like contemporaries that are super long, unless there's a ton of substance, but this had the right amount. I'm still a little surprised at how much was covered in a couple of pages! Another thing I loved about this novel was the short-ness of the chapters. The story-line went at an appropriate pace and I found myself pulled along, wanting more.

I must admit, I had no idea what to expect going into this book, but Normalish is a FABULOUS young adult contemporary. Lesh portrays heartbreak, the love of a family, and the un-normal life of a teen whom everyone will fall in love with. Definitely one to pick up!

▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Giselle at Xpresso Reads and Xpresso Book Tours for sending me Normalish for review! ▪ ▪ ▪

If you like this, try...

Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett ● Goodreads
Counting Backwards by Laura Lascarso ● Goodreads

Margaret Lesh

California girl Margaret Lesh lives with her husband Steve and son Andrew in a quiet suburb near Los Angeles. Co-creator of StoryRhyme.com, she writes middle grade, young adult, and women’s fiction. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about baked goods, especially donuts, far too often. She believes tacos are magic.

Interview with Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Kristin O' Donnell Tubb's novel, Selling Hope, garnered great reviews, including a star from Booklist, who said, "Tubb deftly ingrains a thoughtful ethical question into the story, but never overdoes it in this bouncy tale populated by a terrific cast of characters". She lives in Tennessee with her family.

Books

Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different (2008)
◆ Goodreads ● Amazon ● The Book Depository ◆
Selling Hope (2010)
◆ Goodreads ● Amazon ● The Book Depository ◆
The 13th Sign (2013)
◆ Goodreads ● Amazon ● The Book Depository ◆

Reviews

Confessions of a Readaholic

Find Kristin

Website ● Blog ● Twitter ● Facebook ● Goodreads

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Hi Kristin! Thank you so much for stopping by the Books That Glow: YA & MG 2013 Event to answer some questions about you and your book :)

First question...Describe your book in 5 words– GO!

Zodiac, voodoo, mystery, fantasy, zeal :)

How did you come up with the idea for The 13th Sign?

When I was younger, I read my horoscope every day. Mine, my friends, my parents – it was fun, the possibility that you birthdate somehow shapes your personality, somehow predicts your future. I had the idea to write a story based on the zodiac, but when I started researching it and found out about the "missing" 13th sign, Ophiuchus, I knew I had my story.

Your book revolves very much around the Zodiac mythology...how much research had to go into creating this novel?

A lot – and I loved it! Research is one of my favorite stages of writing; I could get lost in it. I researched the history of the zodiac (it is believed that it started with the Babylonians around 2,000 BC!). I also studied each horoscope sign and their main attributes (the picture on the RIGHT shows the "wheel" I used while writing 13TH SIGN.) But I also studied personality theories and stages of grief, because those things applied to the main character, Jalen. It was all so fascinating! I truly love learning new things and writing fosters that.

If YOU want to learn more about your 12-sign horoscope, your 13-sign horoscope, and which horoscope sign you ACT like, I invite you to take THE 13TH SIGN quiz! It's fun – hope you enjoy! :)

What in your opinion is the hardest thing about writing a book?

Every book has its own challenges, I think. With THE 13TH SIGN, the challenge was to make each of Jalen's confrontations with the twelve horoscope signs interesting and unique, while ensuring that Jalen's story was not lost. With my last novel, SELLING HOPE, the challenge was to write a likable con artist. If there was one, single hard thing about writing a book, I think writing would be much, much easier! :) Instead, part of writing each book is to find out what *that* story's challenges are, and then overcome them.

Did you always want to be an author growing up?

Yes! But I knew for sure when I wanted to be a writer in sixth grade, when I had the amazing opportunity to interview my favorite writer, Madeleine L'Engle, by telephone. When I told her I wanted to be a writer, she didn't scoff or laugh. Instead she said, "Good for you! Keep reading and you can do it." I was – and still am! – totally hooked. :)

PICK THIS OR THAT:

Early Bird or Night Owl? Night Owl!
Mountains or the Beach? Beach for family, mountains for writing. :)
M&Ms or Skittles? M&Ms (Me too!)
Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt? Frozen Yogurt (ditto :D)
Cats or Dogs? Ooo, I have one cat and two dogs, but my instinct is to say dogs. (Sorry, Brody Kitty!)

Aw... That was mean of me to ask the last question :(

What music do you like to listen to?

Just about everything! I don't listen to music while writing, usually, but I do while revising. I listened to a lot of jazz – specifically Trombone Shorty – while revising THE 13TH SIGN to try and get that jazz undertone of New Orleans laced in.

If THE 13TH SIGN was to become a movie, who would be apart of your dream cast?

I really stink at popular culture (NERD ALERT! ;-)) but here goes:

Jalen: Selena Gomez, maybe? It needs to be someone who can pull off both broody and hyper-excited.
Ellie: AnnaSophia Robb (the girl who will play Carrie Bradshaw on The Carrie Diaries)
Brennan: Eesh... Freddie Stroma? (Though I personally love Michael Cera and will watch any movie he's in. :) )
Gemini: someone *like* Angelina Jolie, but not Angelina Jolie. :)

Great cast choices! I'm a fan of Michael Cera myself :D

When you're not writing, what can you be found doing?

Playing with my kids, reading, drawing, or spending way too much time on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest. (Friend me! I'm at http://www.facebook.com/kristin.tubb?ref=tn_tnmn, https://twitter.com/ktubb, and http://pinterest.com/kristintubb/.)

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers out there?

Read! Just like Ms. L'Engle told me – reading is the single best way you can figure out what you like, what you don't, and WHY. Also, I'd suggest an awesome, supportive critique group (I am very, very blessed to have mine) who is serious about writing.

What can we expect from you next?? :D

A barrage of emails, since I'm waaaaaay behind in answering them! :) I just finished a story called Island of Superstition, and I'm co-writing my first YA with my fabulous critique partner, Courtney C. Stevens, called Open the Windows. I love what I do, and I hope I can do it for a long, long time.

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Thank you so much to Kristin for answering all those questions! Be sure to check out the quiz– I took it and here are my answers!

My tradition sign is: Aquarius (Feb 12)
My 13 zodiac sign is: Capricorn
Sign I act like: Scorpio

Woah, all completely different! Definitely interesting to see :D

Click HERE to take the quiz!

You should all totally read The 13th Sign– I loved it! Here's a little more about the book:

What if there was a 13th zodiac sign?

You’re no longer Sagittarius, but Ophiuchus, the healer, the 13th sign.

Your personality has changed. So has your mom’s and your best friend’s.

What about the rest of the world?

What if you were the one who accidentally unlocked the 13th sign, causing this world-altering change—and infuriating the other 12 signs?

Jalen did it, and now she must use every ounce of her strength and cunning to send the signs back where they belong. Lives, including her own, depend on it.

The 13th Sign by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

The 13th Sign by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Release Date: January 8, 2013
Published: Feiwel & Friends
Rated: MG/YA 12+
Format: Hardcover
Source: Author
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Whenever I'd flip through a magazine and come through the horoscope section, I would just look for my zodiac sign (Aquarius) and then continue flipping on. I never really looked into the mythology behind the zodiac, and The 13th Sign was definitely an interesting way to get introduced to it.
Initially, when I first started reading this book, it stalled for a little while, it was a little slow. I was at first also confused what was going on, but then BAM– everything picked up! I love the use of mythology in the modern world, like with the Percy Jackson series, and this was certainly no exception. It was fun, action-packed and very informative on the zodiac.

Even though the main characters were younger than I am, I still found myself connecting to them. I appreciated Jalen's vulnerability, it was just something that made her more human! I often find it odd when character's are just rush into action, waiting for danger to arrive, but of course, she's got that courage, sure, but she's also shown fear and even at one point, had given up. I, personally, would be freaked if I was in this situation and would probably curl up into a ball and wish it would end. I admire her bold nature and determination, and could empathize with her pain and sadness.
Ellie is Jalen's best friend and she's adorable! I love the complications that arise with her (you'll see when you read the book!), and she adds so much of that hilarious element to the novel. Her brother Brennan is also someone who's hilarious at times, and his change when the thirteenth zodiac is added is quite apparent, likewise with his sister. His personality is really different from the first impression we get of him, and it's just such a hilariously adventurous journey with these three!

I mentioned previously that it reminds me of the Percy Jackson series and there's another reason to that, other than modern mythology: the zodiac signs? They're totally like the gods! Each come up in random places, presenting a new challenge for Jalen and her friends. They're also present in different forms, so they just keep springing up everywhere! It's interesting to see how their attributes are portrayed in human form.
There's also a lot of information on each sign of the zodiac throughout this book. I learnt quite a lot about my own sign as well as some of the others, and it was cool to see the personality traits, the weaknesses, the flaws, etc. of each sign as well.

The setting of this novel is GORGEOUS. I've always wanted to go to New Orleans (Mardi Gras, hello?!), and this book really brought the landscape to life. I could imagine easily what it was like, how the city was laid out, and the cultures which are prominent in this fabulous city. The element of voodoo is something new to me in YA fiction and so I liked the culture and mythology associated with it added into this novel.

The 13th Sign is a novel which children, teens, and adults alike will enjoy. It's got action, humor and originality pouring out of the pages. Kristin O'Donnell Tubb has written a fabulous book, one which has both taught me so much, and had me flipping pages like mad. Definitely give this one a try– you won't regret it!

▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Kristin O'Donnell Tubb for providing a copy of The 13th Sign for review and BTG2013! ▪ ▪ ▪

If you like this, try...

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan ● Goodreads
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull ● Goodreads

In My Mailbox – Week 31

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's to show you all what amazing books and swag I've received, bought, borrowed, etc.
Once again, I continue with the books and swag I (and Richa at City of Books) have received for the Books That Glow: YA & MG 2013 event. It's kind of sad, because I won a couple of books and bookmarks, and received a book for review, but I will get to that later on, when there's less books arriving for this event, and that will be one GIGANTIC IMM post filled with overdue books. Anyway. Onto this week's In My Mailbox!

Books

[Top to Bottom]

The 13th Sign by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb ● Goodreads
Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff ● Goodreads
The Twice Lost by Sarah Porter ● Goodreads
Catherine by April Lindner ● Goodreads ◆ My Review

I'm currently reading The 13th Sign and so far, it's really interesting :D Should be done with it soon and a review should spring up a little later on today. Richa had Catherine (she read it for review) as it arrived at her place, and she wrote a review a while back, and also featured it apart of one week's IMM. You can check out her interview with April Lindner HERE, which also has a giveaway to WIN this ARC (it is signed btw!!).

eGalleys

Quicksilver by R.J. Anderson ● Goodreads

A HUGE thank you so much to all the authors mentioned above as well as Rachel Wasdyke from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt!

Swag

Two gigantic post-card things of The 13th Sign by Kristin O'Donnel Tubb, as well as some postcards from her other novel, Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different as well as some candy from another novel of hers, Selling Hope! Originally there were three boxes of candy, and 3 postcards (each), but Richa has one of each so all's good :)
And then on the right there's a TON of bookmarks (22 to be exact) from Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff.

Thank you so much to both of these authors for the delicious swag :D You *may* (wink, wink) be able to win some of this stuff later on in the year!!

So that is all my lovelies for this week's BTG2013 In My Mailbox. Hopefully you've also had a fabulous week in books as well, and so tell me:

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Catherine by April Lindner

Catherine by April Lindner

Release Date: January 2, 2013
Publisher: Poppy
Rated: YA 14+
Format: ARC
Source: Author
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

A forbidden romance. A modern mystery. Wuthering Heights as you’ve never seen it before.

Catherine is tired of struggling musicians befriending her just so they can get a gig at her Dad’s famous Manhattan club, The Underground. Then she meets mysterious Hence, an unbelievably passionate and talented musician on the brink of success. As their relationship grows, both are swept away in a fiery romance. But when their love is tested by a cruel whim of fate, will pride keep them apart?

Chelsea has always believed that her mom died of a sudden illness, until she finds a letter her dad has kept from her for years—a letter from her mom, Catherine, who didn’t die: She disappeared. Driven by unanswered questions, Chelsea sets out to look for her—starting with the return address on the letter: The Underground.

Told in two voices, twenty years apart, Catherine interweaves a timeless forbidden romance with a compelling modern mystery.

I feel the need to pick up Wuthering Heights as soon as possible!

Catherine had me flipping pages for two reasons: The mystery and the romance. Oh. My. God. April Lindner is amazing– I was so immersed in this book, that whenever I had to stop reading, it was the only thing I wanted to do! With two perspectives from two different time periods, it's a brilliant story modernly retold.
I hadn't the slightest inkling of what happens in Wuthering Heights. My mom accidentally spoiled it for me a while ago, but time went on and I forgot... which made this novel even more intriguing. Seriously, I had so many questions, and I was scrambling my mind to try to think of what happens, but in the end it all closed up in a shocking conclusion which I didn't see coming.

Both perspectives were equally interesting. I really didn't know who I favored more! There was that gripping quality to both of them and I found myself loving both of their characters. All characters were built up extremely well. I found myself getting quite a clear description on how they looked, and obviously while I hated some of the characters, I loved to hate them– their evilness does not go by me without some admiration for the language and descriptions which Lindner brings out gorgeously throughout the novel during climatic scenes.

Catherine was a great character, and because she was the subject of the mystery I found myself scouring over her part of the story, trying to see if any of the plot foreshadows what's to happen to her. It was bewitching – quite literally – with the haunting mystery of her disappearance and how Chelsea delves into her past, trying to piece it out all together. Surprisingly, I found myself able to connect with Catherine quite well. She's around my age during her parts of the novel, and even though this is set around twenty years ago, teenage girls will be teenage girls. Her love for books will always be something that I can connect to (I love characters who love books!) as well as her poetry. I found myself agreeing and disagreeing with her in most cases, and often applauding her on the actions she takes.
Chelsea is again a fabulous character, and I love her determination, will and drive to find out what happened to her mother. I frankly, would be freaked out to go by myself and seek out the answers, but this girl certainly has guts! Again, like her mother, it was natural to connect to Chelsea, and as she dives head-first into her mother's journals, it was easy to empathize with her, as she empathizes with her mother.

The boys of the story are equally interesting. Even though I knew from the beginning that Catherine ended up marrying Chelsea's dad, a professor, I found myself rooting for her and Hence to get together. Hence was everything exotic, exciting and sexy rolled into one. Perfect rockstar material. During Catherine's story, he's the boy I would TOTALLY fall head-over-heels in love with on the spot. He's seriously, drop dead gorgeous, and I was literally fan-girling majorly when reading. Hence in Chelsea's view really contrasted to Catherine's Hence. In both point of views though, his mysterious (attractive-mysterious AND mysterious-mysterious) side to him that just made me want to find out more about him.
Coop (short for Cooper) is another guy in this book, featured during Chelsea's perspective. Likewise with Hence, Coop is, how shall I put it? Um, HOT?! I found myself wanting to get lost in his eyes (he has incredible eyes, by the way), and just wanted Chelsea to spend more time with him because he's incredibly cute, and yeah, as you can see, I was majorly fan-girling throughout this novel. Damn, April Lindner can sure write guys!

The plot is absolutely killer. Like seriously, you will be hanging onto every word, because even though things may seem mellow, there's always something creepy lurking around the corner....
I also loved the setting of The Underground. I love the music mixed into it, the punk-rock-and-roll scene, bands, fans– the works. Catherine's dad is pretty famous in this novel, so it's also interesting to see how she deals with this, and how people treat her, especially boys in bands.

Well, if it isn't apparent enough from my excessive fan-girling over this book, I LOVED Catherine and highly recommend you pick this one up as soon as you can. April Lindner has turned one of the most famous classics into a modern, rock music-filled novel which teens and adults will enjoy. I should definitely go pick up Jane, because being a fan of Jane Eyre, I'm bound to love it as much as I did with Catherine!

▪ Thank you so much to April Lindner for providing a copy of Catherine for review and BTG2013! ▪

If you like this, try...

Stay by Deb Caletti ● Goodreads
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë ● Goodreads

Cover Reveal: The Seven Year King by Kiki Hamilton

Hi Everyone! I'm overjoyed to be able to be apart of this cover reveal, and thrilled to show you the absolutely gorgeous cover for Kiki Hamilton's third book in The Faerie Ring series, The Seven Year King.

A deadly sacrifice, a heartbreaking choice, an uncertain future...

Goodreads ● May 14, 2013

I unfortunately, have not yet had the chance to read The Faerie Ring, but GAH, the covers are so enticing and they sound absolutely fabulous :D Hopefully I'll get the chance to read these books soon!!

KIKI HAMILTON

Kiki Hamilton is the author of THE FAERIE RING fantasy series and the YA contemporary novel, THE LAST DANCE. She believes in magic and the idea of hidden worlds co-existing with our own. Kiki lives near Seattle, though she dreams of living in London one day. Visit her website at: www.kikihamilton.com

Waiting on Wednesday – Week 78

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It's to spotlight upcoming reads which I'm DYING to get my hands on!

This week's WoW is:

Of Triton by Anna Banks

**Warning: may contain spoilers from book 1, Of Poseidon**

In this sequel to OF POSEIDON, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death.

As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?

Goodreads ● May 28, 2013

If you've read my review of Of Poseidon, then you'll know how much I LOVED the first book! No surprise, I can't wait for the second one... I need more Galen!! *SQUEEEE*

What are you waiting on?