"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: After the Woods
Author: Kim Savage
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 320 Pages (February 23nd, 2016)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: An emotionally-charged debut novel about the deadly lies hidden beneath a destructive friendship.

One year ago, two best friends, Liv and Julia, were attacked in the woods by a paroled predator. In an attempt to save Liv, Julia was left behind while Liv escaped. After spending three days in the woods trying to escape her abductor, Julia was rescued. She only remembers what happened in the woods in terrifying flashbacks. Now, on the eve of the anniversary of the attack, a body is found in the woods. This discovery rips open fresh wounds between the two girls as the truth about Liv's role in the kidnapping is revealed.

Title: In Real Life
Author: Jessica Love
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 240 Pages (March 1st, 2016)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Hannah Cho and Nick Cooper have been best friends since 8th grade. They talk for hours on the phone, regularly shower each other with presents, and know everything there is to know about one another.

There's just one problem: Hannah and Nick have never actually met.

Hannah has spent her entire life doing what she's supposed to, but when her senior year spring break plans get ruined by a rule-breaker, she decides to break a rule or two herself. She impulsively decides to road trip to Vegas, her older sister and BFF in tow, to surprise Nick and finally declare her more-than-friend feelings for him.

Hannah's romantic gesture backfires when she gets to Vegas and meets Nick's girlfriend, whom he failed to mention. And it turns out his relationship status isn't the only thing he's been lying to her about. Hannah knows the real Nick can't be that different from the online Nick she knows and loves, but now she only has one night in Sin City to figure out what her feelings for Nick really are, all while discovering how life can change when you break the rules every now and then.

*covers are always subject to change.

"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: The Killing Jar
Author: Jennifer Bosworth
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 352 Pages (January 12th, 2016)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: “I try not to think about it, what I did to that boy.”

Seventeen-year-old Kenna Marsden has a secret.

She’s haunted by a violent tragedy she can’t explain. Kenna’s past has kept people—even her own mother—at a distance for years. Just when she finds a friend who loves her and life begins to improve, she’s plunged into a new nightmare. Her mom and twin sister are attacked, and the dark powers Kenna has struggled to suppress awaken with a vengeance.

On the heels of the assault, Kenna is exiled to a nearby commune, known as Eclipse, to live with a relative she never knew she had. There, she discovers an extraordinary new way of life as she learns who she really is, and the wonders she’s capable of. For the first time, she starts to feel like she belongs somewhere. That her terrible secret makes her beautiful and strong, not dangerous. But the longer she stays at Eclipse, the more she senses there is something malignant lurking underneath it all. And she begins to suspect that her new family has sinister plans for her…

Title: Between Shadows
Author: Chanel Cleeton
Publisher: (January 19th, 2016)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a "Adult/New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 18+

Synopsis: A sexy new thriller about love and revenge from the author of the Capital Confessions and International School series…

X lives by three rules: Show no weakness. Trust no one. Don’t get caught. She lives by the rules they gave her.

The Academy—set in London, shrouded in secrecy—it trains spies, computer experts, and assassins. Their mission? Dispensing justice and altering the course of world politics. Or so they think. In a world where secrets are weapons and some kills are impossible to forget, everything X thought she knew about her life is about to change.

They taught her to fight. To blend into the shadows like a ghost, to operate on the fringes of society, to change her identity with ease. They taught her to kill.

She’ll need every skill they taught her, to stay alive.

Title: Shade Me (Nikki Kill #1)
Author: Jennifer Brown
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books, 448 Pages (January 19th 2016)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Nikki Kill does not see the world like everyone else. In her eyes, happiness is pink, sadness is a mixture of brown and green, and lies are gray. Thanks to a rare phenomenon called synesthesia, Nikki’s senses overlap, in a way that both comforts and overwhelms her.

Always an outsider, just one ‘D’ shy of flunking out, Nikki’s life is on the fast track to nowhere until the night a mysterious call lights her phone up bright orange—the color of emergencies. It’s the local hospital. They need Nikki to identify a Jane Doe who is barely hanging on to life after a horrible attack.

The victim is Peyton Hollis, a popular girl from Nikki’s school who Nikki hardly knows. One thing is clear: Someone wants Peyton dead. But why? And why was Nikki’s cell the only number in Peyton’s phone?

As she tries to decipher the strange kaleidoscope of clues, Nikki finds herself thrust into the dark, glittering world of the ultra-rich Hollis family, and drawn towards Peyton’s handsome, never-do-well older brother Dru. While Nikki’s colors seem to help her unravel the puzzle, what she can’t see is that she may be falling into a trap. The only truth she can be sure of is that death is a deep, pulsing crimson.

Shade Me is award-winning author Jennifer Brown’s first book in a thrilling suspense series about Nikki Kill.

*covers are always subject to change.

"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: Lock & Mori (Lock & Mori #1)
Author: Heather W. Petty
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 256 Pages (September 15th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students, one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James "Mori" Moriarty, meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.

Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more.

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London's Regent's Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James "Mori"Moriarty and Sherlock "Lock" Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock's one rule--they must share every clue with each other--Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can't trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

Title: Tonight the Streets Are Ours
Author: Leila Sales
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 352 Pages (September 15th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: From the author of This Song Will Save Your Life comes a funny and relatable book about the hazards of falling for a person you haven't met yet.

Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. Taking care of her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But she's tired of being loyal to people who don't appreciate her—including her needy best friend and her absent mom.

Arden finds comfort in a blog she stumbles upon called "Tonight the Streets Are Ours," the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter. When Peter is dumped by the girlfriend he blogs about, Arden decides to take a road trip to see him.

During one crazy night out in NYC filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was, either.

Title: Dumplin'
Author: Julie Murphy
Publisher: Balzer + Bray, 384 Pages (September 15th, 2015)
Add to: Goodreads
Order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine— Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

*covers are always subject to change.

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet. Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US. So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for The Essence (The Pledge #2) By: Kimberly Derting is.... the US cover!!! Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: Unforgotten (Unremembered #2)
Author: Jessica Brody
Publisher: US - Farrar, Straus, & Giroux (BYR), 416 Pages (February 25th, 2014), UK - Macmillan Children's Books, 400 Pages (Febrary 27th, 2014)
Add to: Goodreads USA | Goodreads UK
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Some memories are better left forgotten... 

After a daring escape from the scientists at Diotech who created her, Seraphina believes she is finally safe from the horrors of her past. But new threats await Sera and her boyfriend, Zen, at every turn as Zen falls prey to a mysterious illness and Sera’s extraordinary abilities make it more and more difficult to stay hidden. Meanwhile, Diotech has developed a dangerous new weapon designed to apprehend her. A weapon that even Sera will be powerless to stop. Her only hope of saving Zen’s life and defeating the company that made her is a secret buried deep within her mind. A secret that Diotech will kill to protect. And it won’t stay forgotten for long.

Packed with mystery, suspense, and romance, this riveting second installment of Jessica Brody’s Unremembered trilogy delivers more heart-pounding action as loyalties are tested, love becomes a weapon, and no one’s memories are safe.

About the author: Jessica Brody knew from a young age that she wanted to be a writer. She started self "publishing" her own books when she was seven years old, binding the pages together with cardboard, wallpaper samples and electrical tape.

After graduating from Smith College in 2001 where she double majored in Economics and French and minored in Japanese, Jessica later went on to work for MGM Studios as a Manager of Acquisitions and Business Development. In May of 2005, Jessica quit her job to follow her dream of becoming a published author.

In four short years, Jessica has sold nine novels (two adult novels to St. Martin's Press and seven young adult novels to Farrar, Straus, Giroux.) THE FIDELITY FILES, her debut, released in stores (in real binding) in June of 2008 and the the follow-up, LOVE UNDER COVER in November 2009. THE KARMA CLUB, Jessica's debut young adult novel released in April of 2010 and her second YA release, MY LIFE UNDECIDED just recently hit bookstores in June 2011.

52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER (which was recently optioned for film) will be out in Summer 2012 and UNREMEMBERED, (also optioned for film), the first book in a new teen sci-fi series, will be released in early 2013.

Jessica's books are published and translated in over twelve foreign countries including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Russia, Brazil, China, Portugal, Israel, Indonesia and Taiwan.

Jessica now works full time as a writer and producer. She currently splits her time between Los Angeles and Colorado.

Find Jessica Online: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa This week, it's a rough choice for me. I love the US cover, but there's something kind of special about the UK cover. It looks so much more than just a book cover. Almost looks like it could be a movie poster.

And I think it's this reason that I'm going to choose the UK cover. I love the flames and how bright the colors are. I love the girls looking through the lattuce which to me makes it feel a bit mysterous. So, this weeks vote goes to the UK cover!

So, vote and tell us which is your favorite! 

Michelle This is an easy choice for me this week. While I do like the US cover, my heart is drawn to the UK cover.

I love how eye catching and dramatic it is, I love the effect of the fire and how it represents this book....I just love it. I also get to look at this every day so that also my sway my vote this week too ;)

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Unremembered NOW!

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Title: Adrenaline Crush
Author: Laurie Boyle Crompton
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 192 Pages (September 23rd 2014)
Add to: Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Check out my review: Adrenaline Crush

Synopsis: When a daredevil teen pushes herself too far, she must choose between two boys: the one who wants to keep her safe, and the one who dares her to return to her old self.

Seventeen-year-old Dyna comes from a family of risk takers and is an avid thrill-seeker herself, until the day she splinters her ankle in a terrible fall. Her whole life goes from mountain biking and rock climbing to sitting at home and attending group sessions at the bizarre alternative healing center that her hippie mother found. The boy who witnessed Dyna’s accident believes her injury is a wakeup call and he encourages her mild new lifestyle, but a young Afghanistan War veteran she meets at the healing center pushes her to start taking chances again. Forced to face the consequences of her daredevil impulses, Dyna finds herself in danger of risking the one thing she’s always treated with caution—her heart.

Author Guest Post

ADRENALINE JUNKIE FRIENDS: Gunks, Jumps and Research Humps

I love the outdoors and enjoy doing all sorts of mountain biking and hiking, but when I decided I was going to write a book featuring a daredevil main character I knew I was going to need to do some research. I am no daredevil. In fact, I’m a bit risk-averse when it comes to physical activities. But Adrenaline Crush is told from Dyna’s point of view and Dyna is extremely confident in ways that I can only dream of. I knew it would take a lot of work to get into her head so I could write her story from a place of truth.

My family has a trailer in New Paltz where we spend summers and weekends and when Dyna first came to mind I immediately knew New Paltz was where she would live. Mohonk Preserve is known for its rock climbing cliffs and every time I hike in “The Gunks” I meet climbers coming off the mountain who are bursting with happiness. There’s an obvious euphoria that comes from rock climbing and I wanted to know more about that. I have a friend who is a confirmed adrenaline junkie who loves talking about his adventures while climbing and he helped me tremendously in my research.

Hearing about the rush of climbing was helpful, but I felt like I needed to actually get my hands on those rocks in order to fully understand Dyna’s love. When Mohonk celebrated the preserve’s 50-year anniversary, they provided gear and an instructor for anyone ready to attempt their first climb. There were three top-roped courses and I leapt at the opportunity for first-hand research. There were a distressing number of releases to sign and once I was climbing I felt horribly awkward and indecisive about holds, but I actually ended up having an amazing time! There’s a picture of me climbing on my website that makes me look a bit more hardcore than I was. Beside that one should be one of me lying belly-side-down on top of a flat rock with my butt in the air while I scrape my feet helplessly on the rock below. Or maybe sliding on my butt to a lower rock so I wouldn’t need to repel back down so far. I noticed I was the only climber brushing dirt off the back of my shorts at the end. But that experience did help me understand the appeal. You hug the rock like it’s keeping you alive because it is. Your life is literally hanging by a rope. The risk makes everything seem more intense and the rush is undeniable even without going to crazy heights.

I also have a girlfriend who I’ve always admired a lot who loves skydiving. In fact, she’s a bit of a zealot who believes everybody should love skydiving. In Adrenaline Crush, Dyna’s big brother skydives at a place called The Ranch which is a real place near New Paltz where my friend spends her time jumping out of planes. She loves it so much that when I visited The Ranch I considered skydiving myself just so I could see what all the raving was about. Once I was there I had this realization that just standing on the ground, watching the other jumpers while imagining myself stepping out of a plane was thrilling enough. I guess skydiving is pretty much where I draw the line on research.

Instead, I went into nerd girl mode and researched books written about and by adrenaline junkies. I read books by John Krakauer like Into The Wild and Into Thin Air. I read Aron Ralston’s book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, which Danny Boyle made into the movie 127 Hours in 2010. Like most fiction writers, I have a rather vivid imagination and fully enjoyed the process of getting into Dyna’s head. I loved rock climbing through her without any of my own natural awkwardness. As Dyna I could scramble up rock face with strength and confidence and go much higher than I dared in real life. Being in Dyna’s head through her big fall was especially exhilarating. I guess you could say some people climb mountains and jump out of planes for their thrills, and some of us simply push our characters off of cliffs.

About the Author:

Laurie Boyle Crompton is the YA author of BLAZE (or Love in the Time of Supervillains) and THE REAL PROM QUEENS OF WESTFIELD HIGH (Sourcebooks, 2013 & 2014) as well as the upcoming ADRENALINE CRUSH from Farrar Straus Giroux. Laurie graduated first in her class from St. John’s University with a major in English and minor in Journalism. She’s written for national magazines like ALLURE as well as numerous trade publications and has appeared on Good Day New York several times as a Toy Expert. Yes, that is an actual thing that people sometimes get to be.

When she’s not writing Laurie enjoys hiking, cycling, reading, cross-country skiing, running, going to the movies and drinking tea by the gallon. She lives near NYC, but loves to escape to the mountains in New Paltz, NY where she and her family can often be found climbing over rocks or tromping through the forest.  She is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Agency.

Find Laurie Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY!!!

Enter to win a FINISHED copy of Adrenaline Crush

ONE winner will receive a copy of this title

Rules and how to enter:

Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter this giveaway.
Easy Entry for all! (Clicking this provides name and email which is the only requirement when entering. This is for the sole purpose of contacting the winner.)
You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses only.
Giveaway ends: November 3rd, 2014 (12:00AM EST)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'd like to thank the publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing a copy of Adrenaline Crush for this giveaway. The winner will receive their copy from the publisher.

If you have any questions please check my policy page or feel free to contact me via email.

Good luck to everyone who enters!

Title: Adrenaline Crush
Author: Laurie Boyle Crompton
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 192 Pages (September 23rd 2014)
From: the Publisher
Format: ARC
Add to: Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: When a daredevil teen pushes herself too far, she must choose between two boys: the one who wants to keep her safe, and the one who dares her to return to her old self.

Seventeen-year-old Dyna comes from a family of risk takers and is an avid thrill-seeker herself, until the day she splinters her ankle in a terrible fall. Her whole life goes from mountain biking and rock climbing to sitting at home and attending group sessions at the bizarre alternative healing center that her hippie mother found. The boy who witnessed Dyna’s accident believes her injury is a wakeup call and he encourages her mild new lifestyle, but a young Afghanistan War veteran she meets at the healing center pushes her to start taking chances again. Forced to face the consequences of her daredevil impulses, Dyna finds herself in danger of risking the one thing she’s always treated with caution—her heart.

Review: 4 Stars - Adrenaline Crush by author Laurie Boyle Crompton is more than just a story about a female high school student who just so happens to be a thrill seeker. It has a great message that readers of all ages will appreciate.

When I first started reading this title I could tell it was not only going to be a great story but I also could tell it was going to be a fast read. Once I was finished I was right on both counts. The story itself is told from the main character Dyna who lives in a small mountain town. She loves doing all activities in the outdoors from mountain bike riding, to climbing and anything that’ll get her adrenaline pumping. Her whole family is the same way so she’s grown up doing these things her whole life.

It’s not until she injured while taking a risk to gain the attention of a boy one summer that her life changes. She’s forced to slow down, to let heal her ankle or it just might have to be fused together and she’ll never do the things she loves again. Her mom is kind of a hippy, her dad is a tattoo artist and her older brother a free spirit who doesn’t know what he should be doing with his life other than skydiving. Each of them comes with their own thoughts on Dyna’s healing process. It’s not until her mom finds an alternative healing center that she’s forced to attend that she finds a greater meaning to her life and what she believes.

Dyna as a character is a somewhat typical teen. She has all of the typical teen emotions and feelings yet when she meets the fellow people in her group at the healing center, including a War veteran she is given a lot of other things to think about when it comes to her life, healing and the world around her.

There’s an important message that’s written in the story for both Dyna and the reader that there’s no way to miss. There’s romance and choices and family. And in the end it’s the flow of the book that pulls everything together to give readers a great YA title.

The additional characters in Dyna’s life also help her to understand where she was, is and should be. They help her to figure out her life and what she wants other than what’s she’s being given, or taking the easy way. These secondary characters were a pleasure to read and I wish there was more time to spend with Pierce, however with such a short book there’s only so much time within the pages to get to know who each of the characters are.

I would recommend this title to anyone who loves a great contemporary read with YA characters. There is talk and a scene with drugs. There’s talk of drinking and sex but nothing more than kissing so it’s a bit on the cleaner side for those who might like that info. If you want a sweet story with a great message that’s a quick read, look no further this book fits the bill. Enjoy!

Title: The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1)
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux, 368 Pages (March 4th 2014)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK, iTunes, IndieBound, Google Books, Books-A-Million
The Book Online: Website | Facebook

Synopsis: Winning what you want may cost you everything you love 

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Book Trailer:

About the Author: 

Marie Rutkoski is the author of The Kronos Chronicles, including The Cabinet of Wonders and The Celestial Globe. The Cabinet of Wonders, her debut novel, was named an Indie Next Kids’ List Great Read and a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, among other honors. Rutkoski grew up in Bolingbrook, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), as the oldest of four children. She attended the University of Iowa, where she took Writers’ Workshop classes and studied with Pulitzer Prize-winner James Alant McPherson. After graduating, she lived in Moscow and Prague. Upon receiving her Ph.D. from Harvard University, she held dual appointments as a lecturer there in both English and American Literature and Language, and History and Literature. Rutkoski is currently a professor at Brooklyn College, where she teaches Renaissance Drama, children’s literature and creative writing. She lives in New York City with her husband and cat.

Find Marie Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram: @MarieRutkoski

Title: The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1)
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux, 368 Pages (March 4th 2014)
Add to: Goodreads
Pre-order here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK, iTunes, IndieBound, Google Books, Books-A-Million
The Book Online: Website | Facebook

Synopsis: Winning what you want may cost you everything you love 

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Book Trailer:

About the Author: 

Marie Rutkoski is the author of The Kronos Chronicles, including The Cabinet of Wonders and The Celestial Globe. The Cabinet of Wonders, her debut novel, was named an Indie Next Kids’ List Great Read and a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, among other honors. Rutkoski grew up in Bolingbrook, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), as the oldest of four children. She attended the University of Iowa, where she took Writers’ Workshop classes and studied with Pulitzer Prize-winner James Alant McPherson. After graduating, she lived in Moscow and Prague. Upon receiving her Ph.D. from Harvard University, she held dual appointments as a lecturer there in both English and American Literature and Language, and History and Literature. Rutkoski is currently a professor at Brooklyn College, where she teaches Renaissance Drama, children’s literature and creative writing. She lives in New York City with her husband and cat.

Find Marie Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram: @MarieRutkoski

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet. Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US. So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions.

We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for Forgotten By: Cat Patrick is.... the UK cover!!! Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK *For this weeks book wars we are using the NEW cover for the UK edition*

Title: Unremembered
Author: Jessica Brody
Publisher: US - Farrar, Straus, & Giroux (BYR) , 307 Pages, (March 5th 2013), UK - Macmillan Children's Books, 320 Pages, (February 27th 2014)*original publication February 28th 2013*
Add to Goodreads: Unremembered USA | Unremembered UK
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.

Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.

Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

About the author: Jessica Brody knew from a young age that she wanted to be a writer. She started self "publishing" her own books when she was seven years old, binding the pages together with cardboard, wallpaper samples and electrical tape.

After graduating from Smith College in 2001 where she double majored in Economics and French and minored in Japanese, Jessica later went on to work for MGM Studios as a Manager of Acquisitions and Business Development. In May of 2005, Jessica quit her job to follow her dream of becoming a published author.

In four short years, Jessica has sold nine novels (two adult novels to St. Martin's Press and seven young adult novels to Farrar, Straus, Giroux.) THE FIDELITY FILES, her debut, released in stores (in real binding) in June of 2008 and the the follow-up, LOVE UNDER COVER in November 2009. THE KARMA CLUB, Jessica's debut young adult novel released in April of 2010 and her second YA release, MY LIFE UNDECIDED just recently hit bookstores in June 2011.

52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER (which was recently optioned for film) will be out in Summer 2012 and UNREMEMBERED, (also optioned for film), the first book in a new teen sci-fi series, will be released in early 2013.

Jessica's books are published and translated in over twelve foreign countries including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Russia, Brazil, China, Portugal, Israel, Indonesia and Taiwan.

Jessica now works full time as a writer and producer. She currently splits her time between Los Angeles and Colorado.

Find Jessica Online: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Jessica Normally it’s easy for me to pick a favorite cover. One usually stands out far beyond the other. But with the UNREMEMBERED series, I thought both the US and the UK got it right. But in very different ways.

I love how the US covers focus on Seraphina and her blurry past and hazy memory. I also really love the treatment of the titles, placing the UN in each title inside a box to highlight it. The titles of this series are very important to me. And the UN that appears in each title is always part of the story that’s being told. The first book is about a girl who loses all her memories. I could have just titled it FORGOTTEN, but I chose to title it UNREMEMBERED because, as she will discover throughout the story, she didn’t just “forget” her past, it was stolen from her. The UN always represents an UNdoing of sorts.

The UK, however did such a fantastic job playing up the action and excitement of the series. I love that they were able to incorporate the eternal knot symbol, which plays a huge part in the book. But I especially am excited about their choice to highlight the elements in the various stories. Each book in the series is thematically focused around one element. And in each book, my main character, is at war with this element. This is supposed to represent the nature vs. science theme that weaves the series together.

In the first book, UNREMEMBERED, the first two words of the novel are, “The water.” In the second book UNFORGOTTEN, the first two words are “The fire.” And the third will be centered around an element as well. You can see from the covers of the UK editions, they’ve incorporated those key elements into the design!

So, in the end, I can’t really choose. They are so different and I love them both for their differences and what they each reflect about the books.

To see all the covers follow this link to view them on google drive [Michelle]

Lisa WOW! Two fantastic covers for this weeks War. This is a tough one for me. I kind of love them both. I haven't read this one yet, but it's sitting on my shelf waiting for me to pick it up and I do love the cover sitting on my shelf.... While I love how different the UK cover is I think I still have to go with the US version. There's something about the US cover that I can't help but wonder more about the story and characters or look away from. So, US cover wins my vote this week.

Michelle I thought this week would be a hard pick for me. While I love how 'foggy' the USA picture is for this book, which fits perfectly with the story I do love the new UK covers. They are definitely eye catching and I do prefer this to the old UK cover. UK gets my vote this week.

We have TWO polls so we would appreciate it if you cold vote for your favorite on both so we can try the new one out, thank you.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of Unremembered NOW!

survey tools

Book Wars a weekly feature hosted between two book review blogs – A Life Bound By Books & Much Loved Books!

It’s a fact that book lovers know all about the covers of the books they covet.  Often when a title is released here in the UK, it’s sometimes vastly different across the pond in the US.  So, Michelle from Much Loved Books and I have come together to create Book Wars to talk about the difference in covers when it comes to the US vs. UK versions. We hope from time to time authors will chime in with their thoughts as well. We welcome everyone to comment and share their thoughts too! The more the merrier!

Book Wars is a new feature for both of us which we hope to post every Monday, while we get it up and running this is subject to change as we participate in other features or tours we have committed to prior to setting up Book Wars.

Before we get to this weeks Book Wars, we have a winner to announce. The Book Wars winner for The Immortal Rules is..... the UK cover!  Thank you to everyone who voted for both books, and for helping to picking a winner.

Also, there's a poll at the bottom of the post that we'd love to hear your input for the two covers! Tell us which one YOU love the most.

Left: US - Right: UK

Title: The Fury (The Fury #1)
Author: Alexander Gordon Smith
Publisher: US - Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 688 Pages (July 23rd, 2013) UK - Faber and Faber Children's Books, 535 Pages (April 5th, 2012)
Add to: Goodreads USA Version | Goodreads UK Version
Order online here: USA: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository UK: Amazon UK, Waterstones, W H Smith, The Book Depository

Synopsis: From the creator of the Escape from Furnace series, a ferocious epic of supernatural terror, perfect for Stephen King fans

Imagine if one day, without warning, the entire human race turns against you, if every person you know, every person you meet becomes a bloodthirsty, mindless savage . . . That’s the horrifying reality for Cal, Brick, and Daisy. Friends, family, even moms and dads, are out to get them. Their world has the Fury. It will not rest until they are dead.

In Alexander Gordon Smith’s adrenaline-fueled saga, Cal and the others must uncover the truth about what is happening before it destroys them all. But survival comes at a cost. In their search for answers, what they discover will launch them into battle with an enemy of unimaginable power.

About the author: 

Alexander Gordon Smith is the author of the Escape from Furnace series of young adult novels, including Lockdown and Solitary. Born in 1979 in Norwich, England, he always wanted to be a writer. After experimenting in the service and retail trades for a few years, Smith decided to go to University. He studied English and American Literature at the University of East Anglia, and it was here that he first explored his love of publishing. Along with poet Luke Wright, he founded Egg Box Publishing, a groundbreaking magazine and press that promotes talented new authors. He also started writing literally hundreds of articles, short stories and books ranging from Scooby Doo comic strips to world atlases, Midsomer Murders to X-Files. The endless research for these projects led to countless book ideas germinating in his head. His first book, The Inventors, written with his nine-year-old brother Jamie, was published in the U.K. in 2007. He lives in England.

Find  Online: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Let the Wars Begin: Its now time to make our decision, let's see what we think about the covers and pick our favorite cover.

Lisa This is another rough week for me. Because I love the UK cover, but I think the US cover shows just how dark and creepy a story truly is. But I like the look of the UK cover too... UGH! I think I'm voting for the UK cover this week because while I do love a great scary story, I think this cover is just a bit TOO creepy for me. UK gets my vote this week.

Michelle This is a tough one for me as not only have I not read the book, I don't recall hearing about it before. After reading the synopsis and looking at both covers I think I am going to go for the USA one for today. The UK one doesn't really inspire me to want to pick up the book, yet the USA one is creepy, and to me this would be a challenge to see if the book lived up to the creepiness of the cover.
Its a USA vote for me this week.

VOTE for YOUR favorite cover of The Fury NOW!

polls & surveys

Title: Zero Tolerance
Author: Claudia Mills
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 240 Pages (June 18th, 2013)
Add to: Goodreads
Order Online here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: Seventh-grader Sierra Shepard has always been the perfect student, so when she sees that she accidentally brought her mother's lunch bag to school, including a paring knife, she immediately turns in the knife at the school office. Much to her surprise, her beloved principal places her in in-school suspension and sets a hearing for her expulsion, citing the school's ironclad no weapons policy. While there, Sierra spends time with Luke, a boy who's known as a troublemaker, and discovers that he's not the person she assumed he would be--and that the lines between good and bad aren't as clear as she once thought. Claudia Mills brings another compelling school story to life with Zero Tolerance.

Guest Post: A Childhood Bound by Books

An invitation to be a guest blogger on a blog that celebrates lives bound by—and boundlessly enriched by—books gave me cause to reflect on how much my own childhood was built around books.

When I was growing up in central New Jersey in the 1960s, we had no organized sports, certainly none for girls (this was pre-Title 9), and few organized after-school or summer activities of any kind. My family didn’t have a TV for much of my childhood: I remember going over to a neighbor’s house to watch the space launch that sent John Glenn to orbit the earth. So my sister and I engaged in imaginative play with dolls and stuffed animals, created a neighborhood of little “houses” in the nearby woods, sharpened our skills at Monopoly and Clue, and read. And read. And read.

The library at that time allowed patrons to check out only four books at a time, so Cheryl and I would walk to the library, check out four books, walk back home, spend the next two days reading our four books, and then walk back for four more. Among our favorite titles: the Betsy-Tacy books of Maud Hart Lovelace, the “Shoes” books of British author Noel Streatfeild, Half Magic and The Time Garden by Edward Eager, and the “Adventure” books of Enid Blyton.

        We loved the Adventure books most of all: Castle of Adventure, River of Adventure, Sea of Adventure, Mountain of Adventure, Ocean of Adventure, Circus of Adventure. When we came home from the library with a new Adventure book, it seemed unfair for either of us to get to read it first. So we would sit side by side reading the book together. Because I was one year older (361 days older, to be exact), I was a slightly faster reader, and so I had to wait at the bottom of each page for a few seconds until Cheryl was ready to turn the page.

         Rereading the books as an adult, I can see how sexist and racist they are. The girls cower behind the boys; the villains are always dark-skinned and/or foreign. I can see how often Enid Blyton recycled the same plots, and in how many books the children are convalescing from measles and so free to engage in adventures rather than attending school. When I was a child, none of that mattered. All that mattered were the adventures, and that Cheryl and I could share the adventures together.

         I now write books that are extremely different from the Blyton books we loved so much. My books are character-driven rather than plot-driven; I care more about the inner life of the protagonist than about the external events that drive the story. I write about strong girl characters (whereas my boy characters tend to be more shy and reactive). My stories have no villains.

         Yet in writing Zero Tolerance I tried to recapture what Cheryl and I loved so much about Blyton’s adventure stories. It’s true that this story of a girl facing mandatory expulsion for the innocent mistake of bringing the wrong lunch to school is character-driven; I cared most about how the events of the story would lead Sierra to grow and change. Sierra becomes a strong character who shapes her own fate. There are no villains, not even the principal who is pressing for Sierra’s expulsion or her over-zealous attorney father who is determined to fight the expulsion by any means necessary. But Sierra is facing the adventure of her life as she sits in suspension, interacting with kids she never would have associated with before; there she does things (good and bad) she never dreamed herself capable of doing; she faces the ticking clock of her expulsion hearing; the stakes are high.

         Adventure, it turns out, comes in many forms and in many places. It usually isn’t as fun when it’s happening to you as when you’re reading about it happening to somebody else. The best thing about it, in the end, is the story it makes. Or so I hoped, in writing this book.

Claudia, thanks for dropping by today and sharing!

About the Author:

Claudia Mills is the author of many chapter and middle-grade books, including 7 x 9=Trouble!; How Oliver Olson Changed the World; and, most recently, Kelsey Green, Reading Queen. She also teaches philosophy at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She lives in Boulder, Colorado. To learn more, visit her website: claudiamillsauthor.com

Find Claudia Online:

Website | Blog | Facebook

GIVEAWAY!!!

Enter to win ONE copy of Zero Tolerance

• ONE winner will receive a a finished copy of this title

Rules and how to enter:

Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter this giveaway.
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This giveaway is open to: US residents only.
Giveaway ends: October 16th, 2013 (12:00AM EST)

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Check out the rest of the stops on the blog tour:

Wed, Sept 4 - Read Now, Sleep Later AND SLJ Teen giveaway - http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/

Thurs, Sept 5 - proseandkahn - http://proseandkahn.blogspot.com/

Fri, Sept 6 - The Book Monsters - http://www.thebookmonsters.com/

Mon, Sept 9 - Once Upon a Story - http://www.novalibrarymom.com/

Tues, Sept 10 - Pass the Chiclets - http://passthechiclets.blogspot.com/

Wed, Sept 11 - The Late Bloomer's Book Blog - http://thelatebloomersbookblog.blogspot.com/

Thurs, Sept 12 - Mother Daughter Book Club - http://motherdaughterbookclub.com/

Fri, Sept 13 - The Children's Book Review - http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/

Sun, Sept 15 - Nerdy Book Club - http://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/

Mon, Sept 16 - Geo Librarian - http://geolibrarian.blogspot.com/

Tues, Sept 17 - A Life Bound by Books