Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! May 2011 bring you health, happiness and books! With a new year comes fresh starts and resolutions. For me, the New Year has always been somewhat sad. It's a time for me to look back on the year that's past and remember all the great things that have happened... but then I remember what's to come. What amazing things lurk right around the corners of a fresh new year.

To everyone who's out OR in celebrating the passing of another year, waiting to welcome 2011 in, no matter where you are, please enjoy and be careful!

So, with that... how is everyone celebrating this year? Has anyone made any resolutions for the 2011? Do you plan on keeping them? And, what are you looking forward to in 2011, any big or little plans?

For the whole week, I've been posting various Top 10 List of books for 2010 and 2011. Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic and I thought it might be fun to do a sort of recap, sharing all the books we've loved - for various reasons and then some. An now I'm looking forward and on into 2011 for some books I'm more than looking forward to. I hope you enjoy my list. Be sure to head over and check out Jessica's too. If you've missed any of the days this week, feel free to hop back over to Monday's post to see the first list.

Title: Delirium (Delirium, #1)
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperTeen, 440 Pages (February 1st 2011)

Why I'm looking forward to this book - Well, even though I've already read it... I just couldn't keep it off my list. I'll be re-reading this book for a long time to come. It's just that epic.

Synopsis: Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Title: Shift (Shade, #2)
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Publisher: Simon Pulse, 320 Pages (May 3rd 2011)

Why I'm looking forward to this book - More than loved Shade. It was one of my favorite books of 2010. As soon as I finished Shade, I just KNEW I needed Shift. If you haven't read Shade yet... pick it up soon - you have no idea what your missing!

Synopsis: Aura's life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend Logan died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows that he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can't deny her connection to the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she's not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura's search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets...and her heart.

Title: Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #3)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 368 Pages (July 12th 2011)

Why I'm looking forward to this book - It's The final book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. Which = EPICNESS. The love I have for these books, the characters and this series... I have no words for how much my heart swells for them. The End.

Synopsis: The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy from Maggie Stiefvater.

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

Title: Hooked
Author: Catherine Greenman
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 288 Pages (August 9th 2011)

Why I'm looking forward to this book - It sounds different and I really am looking forward to more different in 2011. I can't wait to read this one. Sometimes it's a nice change to step away from Paranormal/Supernatural/Urban Fantasy books and this one sounds like it would be perfect just for that.

Synopsis: Thea Galehouse has always known how to take care of herself. With a flighty club-owner mom and a standoffish, recovering-alcoholic dad, Thea has made her own way in her hometown of New York, attending the prestigious and competitive Stuyvesant High School. But one chat with Will, a handsome and witty senior, and she's a goner—completely hooked on him and unable to concentrate on anything else.

Always worried that she loves Will more than he loves her, Thea is pleasantly surprised when their romance weathers his move to college and Will goes out of his way to involve her in his life. But then, Thea misses a period. And that starts Thea and Will on a wild ride that neither of them could have possibly prepared for. When they decide to keep the baby, their concerned parents chip in what they can to keep Will in school and give both teenagers a comfortable place to raise their child. But when a freak accident leaves Thea shaken and threatens to upend their little family altogether, Thea is forced to turn to the last place she would have chosen for comfort: her stiff, uncompromising father.

This smart, touching first novel brims with realistic, beautifully drawn characters, and reminds us that love is never as easy or predictable as we might like it to be.

Title: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill, 400 Pages (January 11th 2011)

Why I'm looking forward to this book - This is one of those MUST READ books. I just want to curl up in a quiet room and read in one sitting type of books. The whole idea sounds like a book I'd be a fool to pass up.

Synopsis: A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone--one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship--tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Title: Betrayal (Haunted Emma, #2)
Author: Lee Nichols
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 304 Pages (March 1st 2011)

Why I'm looking forward to this book - I Loved Deception and WOW that last couple of pages were somewhat shocking. It's one of those books that you can't wait to read the sequel. This is a MUST MUST MUST read for me and ohhh, I can't wait!

Synopsis: Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fellow ghostkeeper, Natalie. When a new team of ghostkeepers arrive—one a snarky teen boy, the other a British scholar—Emma finds solace in training for the battle against Neos. But as the team grows stronger, they are threatened by an unknown force. One they thought was good.

As chilling and page-turning as Deception, this sequel will grab readers and hold them to the last page. No one is safe from suspicion as Emma closes in on the traitor.

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books, 496 Pages (May 3rd 2011)

Why I'm looking forward to this book - More and more amazing sounding books for 2011. And this one is another one that I just couldn't pass up for this list. It sounds like it has everything I like to read in a good book and then some.

Synopsis: One choice

One choice decides your friends, defines your beliefs, and determines your loyalties . . . forever.

Or, one choice can transform you.

In Veronica Roth's debut novel, Divergent, a perfect society unfolds into a dystopian world of electrifying decisions, stunning consequences, heartbreaking betrayals, and unexpected romance.

Title: Stolen Nights (Vampire Queen, #2)
Author: Rebecca Maizel
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, 320 Pages (June 22nd 2011)

Why I'm looking forward to this book - Another book I loved in 2010 was the first in this series - Infinite Days. Rebecca Maizel writes great characters and a fantastic story. The ending left me wanting more. I can't wait to see what happens next to the characters.

Synopsis: Thought you loved Infinite Days? Well, just wait until you read the sequel and second book in the Vampire Queen trilogy, Stolen Nights.



Title: What Happened to Goodbye
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking Juvenile (May 10th 2011)

Why I'm looking forward to this book - I love Sarah Dessen. Her books are always a must read and I'm excited to see what she has for us next.

Synopsis: What Happened to Goodbye is about a high school senior who, after her parents’ divorce, has taken up the practice of assuming a new identity in each of the four towns she’s lived in.

And, book number 10 would have to be the sequel to Nevermore (Nevermore, #1) By: Kelly Creagh. There aren't any details about this book yet, just that it'll be out sometime in 2011. Not even a title yet. I can't wait for it, so I knew it had to make this list.

Choosing just 10 books for this list, was really hard to do.With so many great titles coming out in 2011, I have a few honorable mentions that I hated to leave out of this list: Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry, #3), Recovery Road, Unearthly, Angelfire (Angelfire, #1), The Piper’s Son, Where I Belong, Bumped and so many others, this list could be never ending.

*Note: this list is in no particular order. Each of these books are a few of my favorites from 2010.
*covers are always subject to change.

Throughout the week, I've been posting a Top 10 List of books for 2010 and 2011. Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic and I thought it might be fun to do a sort of recap, sharing all the books we've loved - or are loving from afar - for various reasons and then some. I hope you enjoy my list. Be sure to head over and check out Jessica's too. Also, don't forget to keep checking back each day for a new list to see who's on it - or back track to Mondays post to see where these lists all started!

Title: Entwined
Author: Heather Dixon
Publisher: Greenwillow Books, 336 Pages (March 29th 2011)

What I like about the cover - I think this is one of those covers that just sticks with you. I LOVE the dress and how enchanting it makes everything feel. I'm really looking forward to reading it!

Synopsis: Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.

But there is a cost.

The Keeper likes to keep things.

Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

Title: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill, 400 Pages (January 11th 2011)

What I like about the cover - It has a breath-taking feel to the whole thing. The vastness of space and it's brilliance with the two almost silhouettes come together perfectly.

Synopsis: A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone--one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship--tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Title: Unearthly (Unearthly, #1)
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publisher: HarperTeen, 448 Pages (January 4th 2011)

What I like about the cover - Another amazing dress.... and the text with the feather are so eye catching. Just something to pull readers in to really have a chance to take in just how beautiful this cover is.

Synopsis: In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees. . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what it is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place--and out of place, at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make--between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Title: Wither (The Chemical Garden, #1)
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 356 Pages (March 22nd 2011)

What I like about this cover - Again, with an amazing dress! I think I've found a theme here. This cover is shiny (yes, I have one!) and so different. The whole thing is pretty amazing. I could look at this cover for a long time and still find new things to see. It's one of those covers that when I saw it, I knew I had to pick it up and see what it was about.

Synopsis: What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

Title: Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #3)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 368 Pages (July 12th 2011)

What I like about this cover - It follows along and matches the others - the previous two books. It's red. It has Sam on the cover... it's The Wolves of Mercy Falls. Need I say more?

Synopsis: The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy from Maggie Stiefvater.

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

Title: Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry, #3)
Author: Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers, 336 Pages (May 24th 2011)

What I like about this cover - It's HOT. WOW.... This one is pretty different from the other's I've posted so far for this top 10. I just knew as soon as I saw it, there was NO way I could leave it out of this list.

Synopsis: Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn't live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But when he falls for the wrong girl, Luis enters a dark world he's never known, and just when he thinks he's got life all figured out, learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life. Will that Fuentes bad boy streak come out with a vengeance and lure Luis to live on the edge like his new girlfriend and his own father?

Title: Haunting Violet
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers, 352 Pages (June 21st 2011)

What I like about this cover - Along with the title, I did get the whole Haunting vibe with this one. And well... the whole Violet tie in as well. It's eerie and peaceful and even graceful. Looking forward to this one.

Synopsis: Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

Title: Possession
Author: Elana Johnson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (June 7th 2011)

What I like about this cover - Another different one for this list. It's simple, yet amazing and I think the butterfly caught in ice speaks volumes for just what this book is all about.

Synopsis: Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

Title: Delirium (Delirium, #1)
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperTeen, 440 Pages (February 1st 2011)

What I like about this cover - Everything about this book is amazing. From cover to the turn of the last page, it's a must read. Out of the other one or two covers I've seen, I like this one the most.

Synopsis: Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Title: Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely, #5)
Author: Melissa Marr
Publisher: HarperCollins, 336 Pages (February 22nd 2011)

What I like about this cover - It's just so beautiful! Out of all the books in this series, this one tops them all. The art department out did themselves with this one. Need I say more?

Synopsis: The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

*Note: this list is in no particular order. Each of these books are a few of my favorites from 2010.
*covers are always subject to change.

For the rest of the week, I'll be posting a Top 10 List of books for 2010 and 2011. Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic and I thought it might be fun to do a sort of recap, sharing all the books we've loved - for various reasons and then some. I hope you enjoy my list. Be sure to head over and check out Jessica's too. Also, dont forget to keep checking back each day for a new list to see who's on it.

Title: Nevermore (Nevermore, #1)

Author: Kelly Creagh
Publisher: Atheneum, 543 Pages (August 31st 2010)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - It's dark, it's emotional and it's HOT - giving you a taste to just what's to come.

Synopsis: And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

Title: Halo (Halo, #1)
Author: Alexandra Adornetto
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, 496 Pages (August 31st 2010)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - it's beautiful and graceful, need I say more?

Synopsis: Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Venus Cove. But everything changes when three angels are sent from heaven to protect the town against the gathering forces of darkness: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. They work hard to conceal their true identity and, most of all, their wings.

But the mission is threatened when the youngest angel, Bethany, is sent to high school and falls in love with the handsome school captain, Xavier Woods. Will she defy the laws of Heaven by loving him? Things come to a head when the angels realize they are not the only supernatural power in Venus Cove. There′s a new kid in town and he's charming, seductive and deadly. Worst of all, he′s after Beth.

Title: Sing Me To Sleep
Author: Angela Morrison
Publisher: Razorbill, 301 Pages (March 4th 2010)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - This book cover has drawn me in since I first saw it and I can say that I still love it even to this day, just why I love it.... it's romantic.

Synopsis: THE TRANSFORMATION

Beth has always been “The Beast”—that's what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth's only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she's selected to be her choir's soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR

When Beth's choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek's untethered passion—for music, and for Beth—leaves her breathless. Because in Derek's eyes? She's not The Beast, she's The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE

When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK

The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek's been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything.

Title: Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2)

Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 362 Pages (July 13th 2010)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - Each and everyone of these covers are some of my all time favorites, being that green is my favorite color, I was excited to see how this turned out... and seeing that it's Grace walking off into the woods and knowing how Shiver ended made my heart break just a little.....

Synopsis: In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

Title: Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1)
Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen, 335 Pages (August 31st 2010)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - Gotta love Evie - and the whole calm before the storm look to this beautiful cover.

Synopsis: Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

Title: Nightshade (Nightshade, #1)
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel, 454 Pages (October 19th 2010)

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - You have to see this cover in person to do it justice... it's amazing beautiful.

Synopsis: Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

Title: Matched (Matched, #1)
Author: ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile, 336 Pages (November 30th 2010)

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - Another cover with green as a focal point - will always draw me in and the girl trapped in a bubble seems to fit pretty perfectly with what this story is about.

Synopsis: Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Title: Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry, #2)
Author: Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Walker & Company, 324 Pages (April 27th 2010)

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - It's HOT, it's sexy... it's a Fuentes brother.

Synopsis: When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

Title: Personal Demons (Personal Demons, #1)
Author: Lisa Desrochers
Publisher: Tor Teen, 364 Pages (September 14th 2010)

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - Two hot guys - one an angel, one a demon... nothing more to say.

Synopsis: Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She's spent years keeping everyone at a distance—even her closest friends—and it seems her senior year will be more of the same...until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can't seem to stay away from him. What she doesn't know is that Luc works in Acquisitions—for Hell—and she possesses a unique skill set that has the King of Hell tingling with anticipation. All Luc has to do is get her to sin, and he’s as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance.

Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and the angel, Gabe, is going to do whatever it takes to make sure that Luc doesn’t get what he came for. And it isn't long before they find themselves fighting for more than just her soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay…for all of them.

Title: The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine, #1)
Author: Bree Despain
Publisher: Egmont, 372 Pages (December 22nd 2009)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - This cover is beautiful in a eerie way, it's dark and mysterious too which always draws me in.

Synopsis: A Prodigal Son

A Dangerous Love

A Deadly Secret

Grace Divine—daughter of the local pastor—always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul.

*Note: this list is in no particular order. Each of these books are a few of my favorites from 2010.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.







Title: So Shelly

Author: Ty Roth

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 304 Pages (February 8th 2011)

Preorder here: Amazon, Borders, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Until now, high school junior, John Keats, has only tiptoed near the edges of the vortex that is schoolmate and literary prodigy, Gordon Byron. That is, until their mutual friend, Shelly, drowns in a sailing accident.


After stealing Shelly's ashes from her wake at Trinity Catholic High School, the boys set a course for the small Lake Erie island where Shelly's body had washed ashore and to where she wished to be returned. It would be one last "so Shelly" romantic quest. At least that's what they think. As they navigate around the obstacles and resist temptations during their odyssey, Keats and Gordon glue together the shattered pieces of Shelly's and their own pasts while attempting to make sense of her tragic and premature end.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this cover! It caught me eye awhile ago and when I read what it was about... I knew it was a must read. Who else is with me on this book?

*covers are always subject to change.
*I am not compensated at all for any of the links within this page.

For the week, I've been posting a Top 10 List of books for 2010 and 2011. Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic and I thought it might be fun to do a sort of recap, sharing all the books we've loved - for various reasons and then some. I hope you enjoy my list. Be sure to head over and check out Jessica's too. Also, don't forget to check back tomorrow for the last list of the week and maybe something special too!

Title: Nevermore (Nevermore, #1)
Author: Kelly Creagh
Publisher: Atheneum, 543 Pages (August 31st 2010)
My Review

About the Characters - Varen and Isobel are so different, yet they fit together perfect. Varen is dark and mysterious, while Isobel is bright, pink and shiny - on the outside. On the inside they are so much more. It's the writing that draws you in and makes it easy to love the characters.

Synopsis: And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted - nevermore!
from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

Title: The Sky Is Everywhere
Author: Jandy Nelson
Publisher: Dial, 272 Pages (March 9th 2010)
My Review

About the Characters - I've said this before about Joe and I'll say it again - He's one of those characters that makes you wish you had someone in your life just like him. For me, he adds a whole new dimension to the story. I can't wait to re-read and if you haven't picked this one up yet, do it quick, you won't be disappointed!

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

Title: Shade (Shade, #1)
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Publisher: Simon Pulse, 309 Pages (May 4th 2010)
My Review

About the characters - The love triangle that is Aura, Logan and Zachary. Not to mention the story and writing are amazing, but that's what makes the characters come to life - great writing - easily making these three a favorite of mine.

Synopsis: Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Title: Promise (Soul Savers, #1)
Author: Kristie Cook
Publisher: Ang'dora Productions, 368 Pages (July 30th 2010)
My Review

About the characters - Alexis and Tristan. The power couple that not enough people are reading about. Alexis is another strong female lead that is independent and wants to always have a chance to fight for what she loves and knows it right. Tristan is a warrior and many will find drool worthy at that. He has issues but they make him who he is. You get the feeling that together, they can do just about anything.

Synopsis: Alexis Ames decides to learn who she really is, with or without the help of her mother, who guards their secrets closely. After meeting Tristan Knight and discovering that he s not normal either, the secrets begin to unravel. Their union brings promise to the future of mankind. But it also incites a dangerous pursuit by the enemy. Because they are a match made in Heaven and in Hell.

Title: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 398 Pages (August 24th 2010)
My Review

About the characters - Katniss... kick butt, strong, takes the world on her shoulders three times and is still fighting for what's right. Peeta, oh Peeta. For me, Katniss and Peeta filled in the gaps for each other. They kind of molded together and picked up where the other left off, making two more whole people. At least, for me they did. Peeta was a strength for Katniss and she for him. These two will always have a special place in my heart.

Synopsis: Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.

Title: Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 360 Pages (July 13th 2010)
My Review

About the characters - It's Sam and Grace. It's Maggie's wonderful characters - Sam and Grace. Need I say more?

Synopsis: In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

Title: Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1)
Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen, 335 Pages (August 31st 2010)
My Review

About the characters - Eve and Lend. I mean... Eve has a pink, rhinestone covered taser named Tasey and she's a strong female lead who doesn't just sit back and let the guy take care of her. She's strong, smart and questions things when she thinks something just isn't right. As for Lend... well, I mean, he's Lend. He's sweet, kind and wants to help and what's wrong. He's a different kind of Paranormal, which is always welcome. The two together are a power house couple and book two can't come soon enough.

Synopsis: Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

Title: Infinite Days (Vampire Queen, #1)
Author: Rebecca Maizel
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, 310 Pages (August 3rd 2010)
My Review

About the characters - Lenah and Rhodes... Lenah goes through so many changes and you can see her struggle with just about everything throughout the book. It was amazing to see her deal with each issue as it comes up. And Rhodes... with the little bit he's in this book I was swooning. The way he goes above and beyond to make the impossible happen for Lenah and the sacrifice's he makes for her... it's pretty amazing.

Synopsis: Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

Title: Shadow Hills
Author: Anastasia Hopcus
Publisher: Egmont, 400 Pages (July 13th 2010)
My Review

About the characters - Both Phe and Zach are one of those couples that just stick with you. As are many that you'll find on this list. They help balance each other out. I really enjoyed reading Phe and Zach's story and I hope we haven't seen the last of them yet.

Synopsis: After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA — a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach — the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after — seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

Title: Cate of the Lost Colony
Author: Lisa Klein
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 336 Pages (October 12th 2010)
My Review

About the characters - Cate is such a strong character. I loved her from the first page. She was smart, understanding and tough and in that time in history wasn't scared to find the words to stand up for herself - often shocking the men and women around her. It's things like this that make a character like Cate easy to love.

Synopsis: Lady Catherine is one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite court maidens—until her forbidden romance with Sir Walter Ralegh is discovered. In a bitter twist of irony, the jealous queen banishes Cate to Ralegh's colony of Roanoke, in the New World. Ralegh pledges to come for Cate, but as the months stretch out, Cate begins to doubt his promise and his love. Instead it is Manteo, a Croatoan Indian, whom the colonists—and Cate—increasingly turn to. Yet just as Cate's longings for England and Ralegh fade and she discovers a new love in Manteo, Ralegh will finally set sail for the New World.

Seamlessly weaving together fact with fiction, Lisa Klein's newest historical drama is an engrossing tale of adventure and forbidden love—kindled by one of the most famous mysteries in American history: the fate of the settlers at Roanoke, who disappeared without a trace forty years before the Pilgrims would set foot in Plymouth.

*Note: this list is in no particular order. Each of these books are a few of my favorites from 2010.

For the rest of the week, I'll be posting a Top 10 List of books for 2010 and 2011. Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic and I thought it might be fun to do a sort of recap, sharing all the books we've loved - for various reasons and then some. I hope you enjoy my list. Be sure to head over and check out Jessica's too. Also, don't forget to keep checking back each day for a new list to see who's on it.

Title: The Sky is Everywhere

Author: Jandy Nelson

Publisher: Dial, 272 Pages (March 9th 2010)

My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - This is one of those books that just sticks with you, the characters, story, everything - it has it all.

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

Title: Shade (Shade, #1)
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Publisher: Simon Pulse, 309 Pages (May 4th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - A love triangle with a ghost, characters I love and an amazing beginning for the rest of the books to come.

Synopsis: Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Title: Nevermore (Nevermore, #1)
Author: Kelly Creagh
Publisher: Atheneum, 543 Pages (August 31st 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence -  The cover, was the beginning of my love affair with this book, the characters and writing pushed me over the edge.

Synopsis: And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

Title: Promise (Soul Savers, #1)
Author: Kristie Cook
Publisher: Ang'dora Productions, LLC, 368 Pages (July 30th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - Amazing from the first page to the last, this book and all it holds inside will leave everyone wanting more, more, more!

Synopsis: Alexis Ames decides to learn who she really is, with or without the help of her mother, who guards their secrets closely. After meeting Tristan Knight and discovering that he s not normal either, the secrets begin to unravel. Their union brings promise to the future of mankind. But it also incites a dangerous pursuit by the enemy. Because they are a match made in Heaven and in Hell.



Title: Deception (Haunted Emma, #1)
Author: Lee Nichols
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 310 Pages (June 8th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - This one has it all, characters and plot twists with the turn of each page... and a cliffhanger ending that made me gasp out loud - yes it did.

Synopsis: When Emma Vaile's parents leave on mysterious business trip, it gives her the perfect excuse to be a rebellious teen. Throw some parties, get a tattoo (or maybe just a piercing), and enjoy the first few weeks of her junior year. Then her best friend stops talking to her, the cops crash her party, and Emma finds herself in the hands of a new guardian—her college-age "knight in J.Crew armor," Bennett Stern—and on a plane to his museum-like mansion in New England.

After enrolling at Thatcher Academy, Emma settles in by making friends with the popular legacy crowd. But she can't shake the strange visions that are haunting her. She has memories of Thatcher she can't explain, as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Emma doesn't trust anyone anymore—except maybe Bennett. But he's about to reveal a ghostly secret to Emma. One that will explain the visions . . . and make Emma fear for her life.

Title: Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 362 Pages (July 13th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - Sam & Grace and the continuation of their story, add in some Isabelle and new-comer Cole and Maggie further continued to take my breath away.

Synopsis: In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

Title: Mockingjay (Hunger Games, #3)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 398 Pages (August 24th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - Katniss, Peeta.... the ending of an amazing trilogy - need I say more?

Synopsis: Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12.



Title: Infinite Days (Vampire Queen, #1)
Author: Rebecca Maizel
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin, 310 Pages (August 3rd 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - This was different, entertaining with strong characters I can't wait to learn more about... PLUS another ending that'll make you want the next book NOW!

Synopsis: Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

Title: Shadow Hills
Author: Anastasia Hopcus
Publisher: Egmont, 400 Pages (July 13th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - I loved this one because you didn't know just what was going on or who the people of Shadow Hills were until you were deep within it's pages and engrossed in the story and characters.

Synopsis: After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA — a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach — the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after — seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

Title: Cate of the Lost Colony
Author: Lisa Klein
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 336 (October 12th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - This is a great historical for people who are stand-offish with historicals, such as myself - it was easy to want to learn more about the characters and the time they "lived" in.

Synopsis: Lady Catherine is one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite court maidens—until her forbidden romance with Sir Walter Ralegh is discovered. In a bitter twist of irony, the jealous queen banishes Cate to Ralegh's colony of Roanoke, in the New World. Ralegh pledges to come for Cate, but as the months stretch out, Cate begins to doubt his promise and his love. Instead it is Manteo, a Croatoan Indian, whom the colonists—and Cate—increasingly turn to. Yet just as Cate's longings for England and Ralegh fade and she discovers a new love in Manteo, Ralegh will finally set sail for the New World.

I thought I'd start the last week of 2010 off with a contest! This will be the last one of the year, but in 2011 I'm sure there will be others. Here's the details on what's up for grabs and how to enter.

Prizes:

Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) By: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Personal Demons (Personal Demons, #1) By: Lisa Desrochers (ARC)
Claire de Lune By: Christine Johnson (ARC)
Prisoners in the Palace By: Michaela MacColl
The Limit By: Kristen Landon (ARC)
The Jumbee By: Pamela Keyes (ARC)

THREE winners!


First place winner gets their pic of 4 books.


Second place winner get the remaining 2 books


Third place winner will receive some mystery swag.


Here's the usual - Rules and how to enter:

You MUST be at least 13 years old to enter.
Please fill out the form to enter. Entries in comments will NOT be counted.
Giveaway open to US only - Sorry!
Giveaway ends: Jan 18th, 2011

PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM TO ENTER

Winners are chosen via random.org. If you have any questions,
please check my policy page or feel free to email.

Thanks for entering and Good Luck to everyone!

Happy New Year!

*Note: this list is in no particular order. Each of these books are a few of my favorites from 2010.