Waiting on Wednesday (110)

Title: The Way We Fall
Author: Megan Crewe
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: January 24, 2012

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back. Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest. Because how will she go on if there isn't? Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl’s bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series. I loved Give up the Ghost, can't wait to read this. I love the cover too.

Books read in July 2011

92. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling

93. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling

94. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling

95. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling

96. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling

97. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling

98. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow by JK Rowling

99. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

100. My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

101. 13 Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

102. The Last Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

Reviews posted from these books: 0 of these books so far, all are planned to be posted later.
Books from Library: 0
Books for Review: 2
Books borrowed: 0
My Favorite: Other then HP, The Name of the Star was amazing!
My Least Favorite: None this month.
Debut Authors '11: 25 read 25 books left

Books I hope to read next month: I have a ton of books that I need to read. Focusing on those first. =)

In My Mailbox (Week of July 31th)

For Review:
Circle of Fire by Michelle Zink
Won:
Wildefire by Karsten Knight
Bought:
A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
Forgotten by Cat Patrick
Ripple by Mandy Hubbard
The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
Borrowing from Anna:
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Enthralled
Given to by Anna:
The Darlings are Forever by Melissa Kantor
From Bad to Cursed by Katie Alendar

Interview with Victoria Schwab

I have Victoria Schwab here. She is talking about the cover of her debut, The Near Witch.

1. Your cover is absolutely gorgeous. What are your favorite part about it? What is your least favorite part, if anything?

I love it. It's so different from the majority of fantasy/paranormal out there. For me, the light quality of the cover is deceptive, the story itself at times quite dark. The whole cover is whimsical and eerie, and I love it for managing to be both. My favorite part is probably the glossy filigree, which adds that element of magic.

2. How well do you think the cover portrays Near Witch?

This is a hard question, because covers are meant to draw people in, to pique curiosity. They don't need to accurately portray anything, only convey a vibe, and in that sense, I think the cover is successful. I hope it's enough for people to pick the book up and investigate further.

3. What are some of your favorite book covers of other books?

Ohhhh, I LOVE covers. I actually have a degree in book design, so I spend the majority of my time in bookstores just looking at art. UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER is probably my favorite cover of the year so far, along with IMAGINARY GIRLS. Apparently, I'm in the mood for floating people.

4. Is there anything that you would like to add?

Just a thank you!! A thank you to you for interviewing, and to the readers/bloggers/online people of awesome who have already shown so much love and support. You all make this a joy.

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Source: Publisher

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.
And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

The Near Witch is haunting and poetic. Each word reads like a fairy tale from ages ago and you can't help loving every moment that you are on this spectacular journey. I really liked Lexi. She is trying to figure out who she is and what she believes in. She was very stubborn, strong, and clever. She also didn't give into pressure and wasn't afraid to take a risk. The romance between Cole and Lexi was very sweet. I like that it slowly built up. The setting of Near was perfect. It is a small town, full of fears, mostly from stories and legends. Schwab's writing made it creepy at times and made you guess what would happen next. The setting really helped the plot. The plot is exciting at times, there are a few slow parts that make it drag, but it is made up by the characters and setting. The plot was really unique and surprised me along the way. Schwab's writing was amazing. I enjoyed Near Witch. It was fresh and unlike anything that I have read. It was an amazing book that I highly recommend that you read as soon as possible.

Friday Five

1. I have become obsessed with Tumblr... I would check it soon. It is awesome.

2. Project Runway is back. I love that show even though I am not fashionable. I am cheering for Byrce and my sister is cheering for Anthony Ryan. If you watch it, who are you cheering for?

3. I was sent a link to this. Not sure if anyone wants to check it out, but it makes a picture of You and Patch.

4. The schedule for Northwest Bookfest 2011 went up. I am really excited for it and will probably be going both days.

5. I have been really busy lately and not on twitter much. So how is everyone?

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

Source: Publisher
PLEASE READ THIS! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!
Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.
Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.
But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else be the one to decide which book I read for English. Or whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich Maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: Chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!
Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.
But don’t take my word for it, read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration. Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life.
My Life Undecided is quick and fun read. I loved Brooklyn from the beginning. She wasn't exactly sure who she was in the beginning. I liked seeing her slowly discover who she was and what she really wanted. She was a very genuine girl that was very headstrong and yet caring about others. I also loved that it showed her blog. There are two guys in My Life Undecided that are love interests. Hunter is very charming and gorgeous southern guy. He is very dreamy, but he is not my favorite guy. Brian is smart, funny, and sweet. He was very down to earth and I completely adored him. Mrs. Moody was a lot like Brooklyn and I think that it helped her realize what could happen if she didn't change soon. Shanye is a total bitch and I wanted to stab her several times. I hated that she tried to control everything and used people.

The plot of My Life Undecided is a little over the top, but I think that a lot of the time, people make decisions from asking their friends about what they should read, eat, watch, do, and ect. I also related to Brooklyn's blogging habits and a lot that she talks about is relatable to as a blogger. Everyone has made bad decisions, which is what makes this book the most realistic, because sometimes you want some else to make your decisions for you. Brody is a fantastic writer and I can't wait to read more from her. Her writing is fresh, exciting, and funny. I recommend this book to fans of Lauren Barnholdt and Jennifer Echols.

Waiting on Wednesday (109)

Title:Juliet Immortal
Author: Stacey Jay
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: September 13, 2011
"These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume."
—Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
The most tragic love story in history . . .
Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.
It sounds like a really unique premise and I love this cover.

Trailer Tuesday (37)

I really enjoyed this book and I think the trailer fits it really well.

Contest for Love Story by Jennifer Echols.

I have two copies of Love Story to giveaway. Here is what the story is about:

She’s writing about him. He’s writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines.

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions—it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a local coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

The contest ends on August 5th and US only. Fill out the form below to enter.