Fang Girl by Helen Keeble: Guest Post & Giveaway

Hi everyone!

I have a super fun guest post and a giveaway to share with you today! We all need our fun vampire fix from time to time, don't you think? ;)

But first, some info on the book I'm talking about:

Fang Girl
by Helen Keeble

Release date: September 11th 2012
by HarperTeen
Format: Paperback, 352 pages

Goodreads:

Things That Are Destroying Jane Greene’s Undead Social Life Before It Can Even Begin:

1) A twelve-year-old brother who’s convinced she’s a zombie.

2) Parents who are begging her to turn them into vampires.

3) The pet goldfish she accidentally turns instead.

4) Weird superpowers that let her rip the heads off of every other vampire she meets.(Sounds cool, but it doesn’t win you many friends.)

5) A psychotic vampire creator who’s using her to carry out a plan for world domination.

And finally:

6) A seriously ripped vampire hunter who either wants to stake her or make out with her. Not sure which.

Being an undead, eternally pasty fifteen-year-old isn’t quite the sexy, brooding, angst-fest Jane always imagined....

Helen Keeble’s riotous debut novel combines the humor of Vladimir Tod with Ally Carter’s spot-on teen voice. With a one-of-a-kind vampire mythology and an irresistibly relatable undead heroine, this uproarious page-turner will leave readers bloodthirsty for more.

Get the book: Amazon / B & N / The Book Depository

About the author: 

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

Helen Keeble is not, and never has been, a vampire. She has however been a teenager. She grew up partly in America and partly in England, which has left her with an unidentifiable accent and a fondness for peanut butter crackers washed down with a nice cup of tea. She now lives in West Sussex, England, with her husband, daughter, two cats, and a variable number of fish. To the best of her knowledge, none of the fish are undead.

Her first novel, a YA vampire comedy called FANG GIRL, is out 11th Sept 2012, from HarperTeen.

She also has another YA paranormal comedy novel (provisionally titled NO ANGEL) scheduled for Sept 2013.

*** Guest post ***

Three Things Vampires Don't Want You To Know
Guest Post by Helen Keeble

Vampires aren't real. If they were, they couldn't stay hidden for long, right? Thanks to the endless books, films, and TV shows filled with vampiric lore, we all know how to recognise a bloodsucker. And we all know their weaknesses - sunlight, beheading, fire, stakes, athletic teenage girls, holy water, garlic…

Or maybe that's just what the vampires want you to think are their weaknesses.

Delve a little deeper into traditional vampiric folklore, and there are a lot of weird things that don't appear in our modern vampire fiction. Things that maybe the vampires want to keep quiet…

1) They're just like unicorns

No, not because vampires are also beautiful and sparkly. Because, like unicorns, vampires are terrified of virgins. In fact, while unicorns are irresistibly drawn to virgins, according to Romanian folklore virgins are irresistibly drawn to vampires.

Actually, this is true in a lot of paranormal romances too, now that I come to think of it.

Anyway, all you have to do is stick a virgin on a white (or possibly black - sources vary) horse, and they'll be able to lead you straight to the grave of the nearest vampire. And if you use a woman older than 25, she’ll even be able to kill the vampire for you as well. Just get her to whip the vampire's grave with a hazel twig, and the bloodsucker will never be able to rise again.

Basically, older female virgins are homing missiles of mass vampire destruction. No wonder literature is full of vampires desperately trying to romance young girls. They have to neutralize them!

2) They float

"Big deal," I hear you say, rolling your eyes. "Ducks float. Boats float. What's so special about vampires floating?"

Because, according to our friend Romanian folklore again, vampires always float. They literally can't sink.

Folklore boringly suggests using this trait to determine if someone is a vampire by tossing them in a river, but just think of the many other uses for this peculiar property...

"This is the captain speaking. Unfortunately we have hit an iceberg and water is now pouring through the hull, but there is no need to be alarmed! The vampires strapped under the Titanic's hull make this ship literally unsinkable. While we repair the hole, please enjoy complimentary cocktails on the aft deck, and ignore the muffled screams of the tormented undead underneath your feet."

Vampires would definitely want to keep this one quiet. No bloodsucker wants to spend eternity stuffed under an airplane chair as an emergency floatation device.

3) You're probably always carrying the means to defeat one

Check your pockets or purse. Got some spare change? Maybe a half-eaten packet of breath mints? A tissue?

Congratulations! You can stop a charging vampire in his tracks.

All you have to do is fling a handful of small objects at him, and he'll be compelled to stop in order to count them all. No, really. The technical term for this behaviour is arithmomania, and it crops up everywhere in vampire folklore, all around the globe. Poland, Romania, China, India, pretty much everywhere has legends about obsessive-compulsive vampires. Though curiously, it seems to have fallen out of favour in modern vampire fiction.

Apart, of course, from one famous case:

There you go. Incontrovertible proof that Sesame Street is written by vampire hunters, who are determined to make sure children everywhere know vampires' real weakness.

And now you do too.

P.S. Yes, I really do use one of these pieces of vampire folklore in my novel FANG GIRL. And no, I'm not going to tell you which one…

***

LOL! Awesome, right?:P 

And now the giveaway...

Open internationally, and the last day to enter is December 25th.

The prize pack includes:
- one signed copy of Fang Girl (can be personalised)
- a voucher for an ARC of Helen's next book NO ANGEL as soon as they are available (likely to be Spring/Summer 2013)
- a cheerful vampire goldfish paperclip
- Fang Girl stickers featuring the cover and quotes from the book

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Event hosted by:

Fang Girl by Helen Keeble: Guest Post & Giveaway

Hi everyone!

I have a super fun guest post and a giveaway to share with you today! We all need our fun vampire fix from time to time, don't you think? ;)

But first, some info on the book I'm talking about:

Fang Girl
by Helen Keeble

Release date: September 11th 2012
by HarperTeen
Format: Paperback, 352 pages

Goodreads:

Things That Are Destroying Jane Greene’s Undead Social Life Before It Can Even Begin:

1) A twelve-year-old brother who’s convinced she’s a zombie.

2) Parents who are begging her to turn them into vampires.

3) The pet goldfish she accidentally turns instead.

4) Weird superpowers that let her rip the heads off of every other vampire she meets.(Sounds cool, but it doesn’t win you many friends.)

5) A psychotic vampire creator who’s using her to carry out a plan for world domination.

And finally:

6) A seriously ripped vampire hunter who either wants to stake her or make out with her. Not sure which.

Being an undead, eternally pasty fifteen-year-old isn’t quite the sexy, brooding, angst-fest Jane always imagined....

Helen Keeble’s riotous debut novel combines the humor of Vladimir Tod with Ally Carter’s spot-on teen voice. With a one-of-a-kind vampire mythology and an irresistibly relatable undead heroine, this uproarious page-turner will leave readers bloodthirsty for more.

Get the book: Amazon / B & N / The Book Depository

About the author: 

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

Helen Keeble is not, and never has been, a vampire. She has however been a teenager. She grew up partly in America and partly in England, which has left her with an unidentifiable accent and a fondness for peanut butter crackers washed down with a nice cup of tea. She now lives in West Sussex, England, with her husband, daughter, two cats, and a variable number of fish. To the best of her knowledge, none of the fish are undead.

Her first novel, a YA vampire comedy called FANG GIRL, is out 11th Sept 2012, from HarperTeen.

She also has another YA paranormal comedy novel (provisionally titled NO ANGEL) scheduled for Sept 2013.

*** Guest post ***

Three Things Vampires Don't Want You To Know
Guest Post by Helen Keeble

Vampires aren't real. If they were, they couldn't stay hidden for long, right? Thanks to the endless books, films, and TV shows filled with vampiric lore, we all know how to recognise a bloodsucker. And we all know their weaknesses - sunlight, beheading, fire, stakes, athletic teenage girls, holy water, garlic…

Or maybe that's just what the vampires want you to think are their weaknesses.

Delve a little deeper into traditional vampiric folklore, and there are a lot of weird things that don't appear in our modern vampire fiction. Things that maybe the vampires want to keep quiet…

1) They're just like unicorns

No, not because vampires are also beautiful and sparkly. Because, like unicorns, vampires are terrified of virgins. In fact, while unicorns are irresistibly drawn to virgins, according to Romanian folklore virgins are irresistibly drawn to vampires.

Actually, this is true in a lot of paranormal romances too, now that I come to think of it.

Anyway, all you have to do is stick a virgin on a white (or possibly black - sources vary) horse, and they'll be able to lead you straight to the grave of the nearest vampire. And if you use a woman older than 25, she’ll even be able to kill the vampire for you as well. Just get her to whip the vampire's grave with a hazel twig, and the bloodsucker will never be able to rise again.

Basically, older female virgins are homing missiles of mass vampire destruction. No wonder literature is full of vampires desperately trying to romance young girls. They have to neutralize them!

2) They float

"Big deal," I hear you say, rolling your eyes. "Ducks float. Boats float. What's so special about vampires floating?"

Because, according to our friend Romanian folklore again, vampires always float. They literally can't sink.

Folklore boringly suggests using this trait to determine if someone is a vampire by tossing them in a river, but just think of the many other uses for this peculiar property...

"This is the captain speaking. Unfortunately we have hit an iceberg and water is now pouring through the hull, but there is no need to be alarmed! The vampires strapped under the Titanic's hull make this ship literally unsinkable. While we repair the hole, please enjoy complimentary cocktails on the aft deck, and ignore the muffled screams of the tormented undead underneath your feet."

Vampires would definitely want to keep this one quiet. No bloodsucker wants to spend eternity stuffed under an airplane chair as an emergency floatation device.

3) You're probably always carrying the means to defeat one

Check your pockets or purse. Got some spare change? Maybe a half-eaten packet of breath mints? A tissue?

Congratulations! You can stop a charging vampire in his tracks.

All you have to do is fling a handful of small objects at him, and he'll be compelled to stop in order to count them all. No, really. The technical term for this behaviour is arithmomania, and it crops up everywhere in vampire folklore, all around the globe. Poland, Romania, China, India, pretty much everywhere has legends about obsessive-compulsive vampires. Though curiously, it seems to have fallen out of favour in modern vampire fiction.

Apart, of course, from one famous case:

There you go. Incontrovertible proof that Sesame Street is written by vampire hunters, who are determined to make sure children everywhere know vampires' real weakness.

And now you do too.

P.S. Yes, I really do use one of these pieces of vampire folklore in my novel FANG GIRL. And no, I'm not going to tell you which one…

***

LOL! Awesome, right?:P 

And now the giveaway...

Open internationally, and the last day to enter is December 25th.

The prize pack includes:
- one signed copy of Fang Girl (can be personalised)
- a voucher for an ARC of Helen's next book NO ANGEL as soon as they are available (likely to be Spring/Summer 2013)
- a cheerful vampire goldfish paperclip
- Fang Girl stickers featuring the cover and quotes from the book

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Event hosted by:

Review: Valkyrie Rising (Valkyrie #1) by Ingrid Paulson

Hey guys!

Long time no see! I hope everyone is doing great!:)

I haven't got that much time to read and blog lately, but I should have a few reviews posted soon.

Valkyrie Rising (Valkyrie #1) 
by Ingrid Paulson
Published: October 9th 2012
by HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages

Goodreads: 

Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she’ll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she’s there.

What Ellie doesn’t anticipate is Graham’s infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect something powerful and ancient to awaken in her and that strange whispers would urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, there’s suddenly a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it’s up to Ellie—and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring Tuck—to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.

Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl’s unexpectedly-epic coming of age.

My thoughts:

I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I liked it, but sometimes it kind of irritated me, so it took me longer than usual to get through it. I'll get on the details in a bit.

The premise might sound familiar for Young Adult Paranormal books: main characters find out about the existence of a supernatural world and their connection to the supernatural creatures living among them, they get pulled into that world, bad things happen, villain shows up, more dangerous things happen, villain is defeated, characters grow stronger by the end of the book and find out more about them and their past. There's also some romance thrown in into the mix. But despite the familiarity, there was something totally original and very interesting about Valkyrie Rising. First, we have the setting: Norway, then, we have the mythology and the supernatural world intertwined with the human world and then the kickass characters. Fascinating!

The synopsis is a little too spoiler-y for my liking, but there were enough twists and turns in the book to keep me interested and engaged in the story.

Ellie is a normal, LA teenage girl. She has problems with her overbearing, overprotective brother and his too-charming-for-their-own-good best friend, but she manages just fine. And then she goes to her grandmother in Norway for the summer and everything changes.

The village where her grandmother lives is kind of creepy. There are all sorts of rumors around it and people look at Ellie and treat her strangely. And when big brother extraordinaine and his trouble-maker friend join her, things get even more interesting - and downright weird and scary. Because there might be some truth behind the whispers in the village and there might be something supernatural and really creepy about the disappearances of all the young boys in the area. And like worrying about that and about Graham being the next capture wasn't enough, Ellie starts to feel the rising of some dark, strange power inside her and the calls of other mythological beings who prowl around.

While my logical self told me to take the car, something primal within me howled that I’d be faster and safer on foot. Invisible. Once the night air filled my lungs, my instincts were honed to a razor-sharp clarity. I could see each leaf on every tree. The wind whispered secrets, carrying to my ears the footfalls of the squirrels and deer in the forest. I could smell the salt in the air and feel the slightest shift in the wind’s direction. Something was happening to me. It was as electrifying as plunging headfirst into ice-cold water—every molecule of my body was alert, awake, and screaming for action. 

There are many secrets in her family and around that place, but she doesn't get a chance to explore them, because a turn of events thrust her into action and all she can do is fight for her life, for the people she cares about and for the innocent lives that got caught in the crossfire. And that was what I loved the most about this book: the action, the suspense, the mystery, the presence of kickass characters, the mythology beings and their badass, action-movie moves...

“Get away from her!” I screamed as I threw the dagger at the Valkyrie. I hadn’t known I had that kind of violence in me until my fingers relaxed, letting the blade fly. One manicured hand snatched the blade from the air without flinching. 

There was never a dull moment in the second part of the book. Except for Ellie's childish behavior and annoying whiny thoughts, that is. Which brings me to what I didn't love about this book: I couldn't really connect with the main character, Ellie. I liked her when she took action and fought for everyone's safety, when she confronted beings so much older, more knowledgeable and powerful than her, when she stood up for her brother and the boy she secretly loved, but that part of her was too much in contrast with the normal, teenage girl. To me, it felt like that immature side of her was a bit forced (not realistic enough); it was like she was made to act dumb, insecure, stubborn, reckless and whiny because that's how teenagers are supposed to behave, not because that's what she was actually like or that's how she really felt. Does this make any sense? Ugh, what I'm trying to say is that, in my opinion, the change from badass Valkyire who can kill everyone in two seconds flat, face some very powerful beings and a Norse God to a whiny, insecure teenager was too abrupt. Of course, she had plenty of moments of strength, determination and courage and that's when I was cheering her on.

I liked her relationship with Tuck, though. They both have feelings for each other, but they've also known each other forever and they don't want to ruin that or to hurt her brother in the process (infamous player going after his best friend's younger sister and all that), so they don't act on those feelings - not right away, anyway. Their banter was priceless (it kind of reminded me of Daemon and Katy from Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout). And Tuck was pretty badass himself, even though he had his own secrets, mood swings and conflicted emotions. Fun, playful and a real charmer. *swoon*

When I looked at him that closely, at those white teeth framed by that deceptively innocent smile, I knew why Tucker Halloway excelled at getting whatever he wanted—especially from girls. And I couldn’t fathom why he was wasting that particular talent on me when bullying and mockery had always been the accepted currency between the two of us. “What do you want?” I asked, instantly wary. “Shouldn’t you be enjoying the party?” His smile curled up at one corner, proof positive he was up to no good.

“I meant, why play games? I get by just fine on looks alone.” His smile was blinding, driving his point home. “Don’t forget your charming personality,” I said, and my stomach flipped when his grin widened at my words. Making Tucker laugh was the best kind of rush. “I hear modesty is quite the aphrodisiac,” I added.

Graham's condescending, overprotective, patronizing attitude got a little on my nerves too, but overall, I liked the secondary characters. They were all unique and had their own important roles in the story. The grandmother was so awesome! Not what you would expect when visiting old relatives on the other side of the world. *thumbs up*

So, like I said, mixed feelings. I loved the action, the setting, the mythology and the characters most of the time, but there were a few moments when I just wanted to get into the book and shake them senseless. Or to throw the book across the room (thankfully, there weren't many of those moments). The writing is engrossing and it flows naturally, so there's a lot of potential to this series. The only other Valkyries I read about were in the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole, but that's an adult romance series, so things were a bit different. Still, I think it's safe to say that they are some of my favorite supernatural creatures in lit, so I'll probably read the next book in this series when it comes out as well!

Get the book: Amazon / B & N / The Book Depository

Stalk the author: Facebook / Twitter / Website

Review: Valkyrie Rising (Valkyrie #1) by Ingrid Paulson

Hey guys!

Long time no see! I hope everyone is doing great!:)

I haven't got that much time to read and blog lately, but I should have a few reviews posted soon.

Valkyrie Rising (Valkyrie #1) 
by Ingrid Paulson
Published: October 9th 2012
by HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages

Goodreads: 

Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she’ll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she’s there.

What Ellie doesn’t anticipate is Graham’s infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect something powerful and ancient to awaken in her and that strange whispers would urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, there’s suddenly a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it’s up to Ellie—and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring Tuck—to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.

Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl’s unexpectedly-epic coming of age.

My thoughts:

I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I liked it, but sometimes it kind of irritated me, so it took me longer than usual to get through it. I'll get on the details in a bit.

The premise might sound familiar for Young Adult Paranormal books: main characters find out about the existence of a supernatural world and their connection to the supernatural creatures living among them, they get pulled into that world, bad things happen, villain shows up, more dangerous things happen, villain is defeated, characters grow stronger by the end of the book and find out more about them and their past. There's also some romance thrown in into the mix. But despite the familiarity, there was something totally original and very interesting about Valkyrie Rising. First, we have the setting: Norway, then, we have the mythology and the supernatural world intertwined with the human world and then the kickass characters. Fascinating!

The synopsis is a little too spoiler-y for my liking, but there were enough twists and turns in the book to keep me interested and engaged in the story.

Ellie is a normal, LA teenage girl. She has problems with her overbearing, overprotective brother and his too-charming-for-their-own-good best friend, but she manages just fine. And then she goes to her grandmother in Norway for the summer and everything changes.

The village where her grandmother lives is kind of creepy. There are all sorts of rumors around it and people look at Ellie and treat her strangely. And when big brother extraordinaine and his trouble-maker friend join her, things get even more interesting - and downright weird and scary. Because there might be some truth behind the whispers in the village and there might be something supernatural and really creepy about the disappearances of all the young boys in the area. And like worrying about that and about Graham being the next capture wasn't enough, Ellie starts to feel the rising of some dark, strange power inside her and the calls of other mythological beings who prowl around.

While my logical self told me to take the car, something primal within me howled that I’d be faster and safer on foot. Invisible. Once the night air filled my lungs, my instincts were honed to a razor-sharp clarity. I could see each leaf on every tree. The wind whispered secrets, carrying to my ears the footfalls of the squirrels and deer in the forest. I could smell the salt in the air and feel the slightest shift in the wind’s direction. Something was happening to me. It was as electrifying as plunging headfirst into ice-cold water—every molecule of my body was alert, awake, and screaming for action. 

There are many secrets in her family and around that place, but she doesn't get a chance to explore them, because a turn of events thrust her into action and all she can do is fight for her life, for the people she cares about and for the innocent lives that got caught in the crossfire. And that was what I loved the most about this book: the action, the suspense, the mystery, the presence of kickass characters, the mythology beings and their badass, action-movie moves...

“Get away from her!” I screamed as I threw the dagger at the Valkyrie. I hadn’t known I had that kind of violence in me until my fingers relaxed, letting the blade fly. One manicured hand snatched the blade from the air without flinching. 

There was never a dull moment in the second part of the book. Except for Ellie's childish behavior and annoying whiny thoughts, that is. Which brings me to what I didn't love about this book: I couldn't really connect with the main character, Ellie. I liked her when she took action and fought for everyone's safety, when she confronted beings so much older, more knowledgeable and powerful than her, when she stood up for her brother and the boy she secretly loved, but that part of her was too much in contrast with the normal, teenage girl. To me, it felt like that immature side of her was a bit forced (not realistic enough); it was like she was made to act dumb, insecure, stubborn, reckless and whiny because that's how teenagers are supposed to behave, not because that's what she was actually like or that's how she really felt. Does this make any sense? Ugh, what I'm trying to say is that, in my opinion, the change from badass Valkyire who can kill everyone in two seconds flat, face some very powerful beings and a Norse God to a whiny, insecure teenager was too abrupt. Of course, she had plenty of moments of strength, determination and courage and that's when I was cheering her on.

I liked her relationship with Tuck, though. They both have feelings for each other, but they've also known each other forever and they don't want to ruin that or to hurt her brother in the process (infamous player going after his best friend's younger sister and all that), so they don't act on those feelings - not right away, anyway. Their banter was priceless (it kind of reminded me of Daemon and Katy from Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout). And Tuck was pretty badass himself, even though he had his own secrets, mood swings and conflicted emotions. Fun, playful and a real charmer. *swoon*

When I looked at him that closely, at those white teeth framed by that deceptively innocent smile, I knew why Tucker Halloway excelled at getting whatever he wanted—especially from girls. And I couldn’t fathom why he was wasting that particular talent on me when bullying and mockery had always been the accepted currency between the two of us. “What do you want?” I asked, instantly wary. “Shouldn’t you be enjoying the party?” His smile curled up at one corner, proof positive he was up to no good.

“I meant, why play games? I get by just fine on looks alone.” His smile was blinding, driving his point home. “Don’t forget your charming personality,” I said, and my stomach flipped when his grin widened at my words. Making Tucker laugh was the best kind of rush. “I hear modesty is quite the aphrodisiac,” I added.

Graham's condescending, overprotective, patronizing attitude got a little on my nerves too, but overall, I liked the secondary characters. They were all unique and had their own important roles in the story. The grandmother was so awesome! Not what you would expect when visiting old relatives on the other side of the world. *thumbs up*

So, like I said, mixed feelings. I loved the action, the setting, the mythology and the characters most of the time, but there were a few moments when I just wanted to get into the book and shake them senseless. Or to throw the book across the room (thankfully, there weren't many of those moments). The writing is engrossing and it flows naturally, so there's a lot of potential to this series. The only other Valkyries I read about were in the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole, but that's an adult romance series, so things were a bit different. Still, I think it's safe to say that they are some of my favorite supernatural creatures in lit, so I'll probably read the next book in this series when it comes out as well!

Get the book: Amazon / B & N / The Book Depository

Stalk the author: Facebook / Twitter / Website

Waiting on Wednesday (10/17)

Hi!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

*WoW button courtesy to Danny @  Bewitched Bookworms

My pick today:

Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1) 
by Kasie West

Release date: February 12th 2013
by HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages

Goodreads:

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

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

OMG! Isn't that cover absolutely stunning? I LOVE it! This is one of those books I instantly wanted to have on my bookshelf based on the cover alone, no matter what the story was about. But it sounds very interesting and original as well, so I'm super excited about it! Can you imagine being able to look into the future and choose the outcome you wanted, but not knowing which one would be the better choice? Yikes! *shudder* I can't wait to read all about that and to find out which reality Addie chooses in the end and how she deals with the consequences.

So... What are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday (10/17)

Hi!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

*WoW button courtesy to Danny @  Bewitched Bookworms

My pick today:

Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1) 
by Kasie West

Release date: February 12th 2013
by HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages

Goodreads:

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

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

OMG! Isn't that cover absolutely stunning? I LOVE it! This is one of those books I instantly wanted to have on my bookshelf based on the cover alone, no matter what the story was about. But it sounds very interesting and original as well, so I'm super excited about it! Can you imagine being able to look into the future and choose the outcome you wanted, but not knowing which one would be the better choice? Yikes! *shudder* I can't wait to read all about that and to find out which reality Addie chooses in the end and how she deals with the consequences.

So... What are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday (8/29)

Hey!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

*WoW button courtesy to Danny @  Bewitched Bookworms

My pick today:

Valkyrie Rising

by Ingrid Paulson

Release date: October 9th 2012 
by HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages

Goodreads: 

Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she’ll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she’s there.

What Ellie doesn’t anticipate is Graham’s infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect something powerful and ancient to awaken in her and that strange whispers would urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, there’s suddenly a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it’s up to Ellie—and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring Tuck—to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.

Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl’s unexpectedly-epic coming of age.

Eeep! Everything about this book sounds awesome and original: the setting, the the plot, the legends, the paranormal elements and, of, course, the ever presence of sarcasm. You can't go wrong with sarcasm in my books. :))

The only other books I've ever read about Valkyries were Kresley Cole's and I really liked them - there was something cool and fierce about them - so I'm curious to see how that mythology is being used here.

What are you waiting on this week?

xoxo

Waiting on Wednesday (8/29)

Hey!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

*WoW button courtesy to Danny @  Bewitched Bookworms

My pick today:

Valkyrie Rising

by Ingrid Paulson

Release date: October 9th 2012 
by HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages

Goodreads: 

Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she’ll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she’s there.

What Ellie doesn’t anticipate is Graham’s infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect something powerful and ancient to awaken in her and that strange whispers would urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, there’s suddenly a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it’s up to Ellie—and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring Tuck—to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.

Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl’s unexpectedly-epic coming of age.

Eeep! Everything about this book sounds awesome and original: the setting, the the plot, the legends, the paranormal elements and, of, course, the ever presence of sarcasm. You can't go wrong with sarcasm in my books. :))

The only other books I've ever read about Valkyries were Kresley Cole's and I really liked them - there was something cool and fierce about them - so I'm curious to see how that mythology is being used here.

What are you waiting on this week?

xoxo