Waiting on Wednesday (45) - Anna Dressed in Blood

Anna Dressed in Blood

Kendare Blake

Publisher: Tor Teen

To be released: August 30, 2011

Summary (from Goodreads):

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

This books sounds really awesome. Cannot wait to read it. Sounds creepy too! 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event highlighting exciting upcoming releases. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Sporadic Blogging

I just wanted to let everyone know that as I'm approaching finals time blogging will be really sporadic. I am gonna try my best to get reviews up for the books that come out in the beginning of May and I have some scheduled posts for May, but this week and next week blogging will be really sporadic as it's the last two weeks of classes. But don't worry, I have things planned, including some giveaways along with reviews, for whenever I find time to actually blog.

Waiting on Wednesday (44) - Enshadowed

Enshadowed (Nevermore #2)

Kelly Creagh

Publisher: Atheneum

To be released: January 24, 2012

Summary (from Goodreads):

While Varen remains a prisoner in the dream-world, Isobel is haunted by his memory. He appears to her in her dreams and soon, even in her waking life. But is she just imagining it? Isobel knows she must find a way back to Varen. She makes plans to go to Baltimore. There, she confronts the figure known throughout the world as the Poe Toaster—the same dark man who once appeared to Isobel in her dreams, calling himself "Reynolds."

Isobel succeeds in interrupting the Toaster's ritual and, in doing so, discovers a way to return to the dream-world. Soon, she finds herself swept up in a realm which not only holds remnants of Poe's presence, but has also now taken on the characteristics of Varen's innermost self. It is a dark world comprised of fear, terror, and anger.

When Isobel once more encounters Varen, she finds him changed. With his mind poisoned by the dream world, he becomes a malevolent force, bent on destroying all—even himself. Now Isobel must face a new adversary, one who also happens to be her greatest love.

This is the second book in the Nevermore series. I was strangely fascinated and enjoyed the first book (read my review of Nevermore) and am really excited to see what happened next because of how the first book ended.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event highlighting exciting upcoming releases. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Ten Reasons Why You MUST Pre-Order Hourglass by Myra McEntire

The wonderful Julie from Bloggers Heart Books decided to put together a sekrit little project for a wonderful book. This wonderful little book is called Hourglass by Myra McEntire.

In TWO MONTHS this freakin awesome book known as Hourglass will be available for EVERYONE TO READ! And everyone should. I’m a huge fan of this book and my review will be posted closer to the release date but let me say now, everyone NEEDS to read this book. I suggest you even pre-order it now so you can have it the day it comes out.

And why should pre-order this book? Well, let me tell you.

Ten Reasons Why You Should Pre-Order Hourglass by Myra McEntire IMMEDIATELY

1. EMERSON COLE. She is awesome. Like legit. She is badass. She even has BROWN BELT to prove it. She is just full of win.
2. HOT BOYS. Phew. This book definitely has its fill of hot boys. Particularlly Michael Weaver. Boy, is he fine. I’m legit in love with him and he is a fictional character. There is also Kaleb. I loved Kaleb in a different way, in like an “OMG he is soo adorable way.” But there are plenty of boys for everyone.
3. THE ROMANCE. The romance could have gone crazy wrong ,but it is so right. LIKE IT IS PERFECT. There were some epic scenes of sexual tension that had me literally screaming at the book for them to just kiss already. I loved it.
4. DOCTOR WHO REFERENCE FOR THE WIN! The doctor who reference kind of like sealed the deal for me loving this book.
   
   Basically if you refrerence the Doctor in any way, shape or form, it’s kind of a done deal that I will love your book because of my love for the Doctor. And this book did that. It is made of WINNING.
5. SNARK! Oh my gosh how I love the snark. Em’s personality is just awesome. So full of snarky comebacks that literally had me laughing. Another reason why she is awesome.
6. THE FREAKIN PLOT! This book literally kept me on the tip of my toes. I had no idea what to expect or where it was going next. It was a perfect blend of mystery, action, paranormal, Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff , and awesome. The last like quarter of the book, I swear my mouth was wide open in amazement. It was so freaking fresh and original.
7. THE TWISTS! I know I mentioned the plot, but the plot twists deserve their own special recognition. Like wow. I literally did not see most of those twists coming. I actually had to pause in reading after one major twist because I was in such shock. BRAVO MYRA!
8. THE WRITING! The writing was just perfect. It captured the essence of each character perfectly, was able to convey humor without feeling forced and just was great.
9. THE CHARACTERS. One of the great things about Hourglass is that the characters stay with you. They literally get like trapped in your brain. They are so really and each one (and I mean each character, down to the minor ones) serves and purpose and feels real. The characters are just full of life.
10. THE COVER. Look at it. I mean LOOK AT IT. SHE IS LIKE WALKING ON THE WALL. And it’s gonna be even more awesome because it will be SHIMMERY AND SHINEY when it is published. I might caress it a lot when I get it because of the pretty (I am such a creeper)

Hourglass is one of those books that when you pick it up you know is going to be good. When you beginning reading you don’t want to stop, you know you hold the rest of the story in your hand and you want to uncover it page by page.  AND IT’S A DEBUT NOVEL. (WHICH IS EVEN MORE AMAZING)!

This is a must read for everyone. Definitely one of my favorites for 2011. Everyone should pre-order it.

And if my ten reasons for pre-ordering didn’t convince you, check out some more epic gushing and loving from Julie at Bloggers Heart Books, Harmony at Radiant Reads, and Danielle B. at Frenzy of Noise that should convince you to pre-order it now! DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK!

Places to Pre-order:

• Indie Bound
• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble

Waiting on Wednesday (43) - The Magnolia League

The Magnolia League

Katie Crouch

Publisher: Poppy

To be released: May 3, 2011

Summary (from Goodreads):

After the death of her free-spirited mother, sixteen-year-old Alex Lee must leave her home in northern California to live with her wealthy grandmother in Savannah, Georgia. By birth, Alex is a rightful, if unwilling, member of the Magnolia League, Savannah's long-standing debutante society. She quickly discovers that the Magnolias have made a pact with a legendary hoodoo family, the Buzzards. The Magnolias enjoy youth, beauty and power. But at what price?

As in her popular adult novels, Crouch's poignant and humorous voice shines in this seductively atmospheric story about girls growing up in a magical Southern city.

This book sounds very interesting. I really like the magical, mysterious Southern aspect of it. The cover is gorgeous too. Cannot wait to read!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event highlighting exciting upcoming releases. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Review: The Last Little Blue Envelope

The Last Little Blue Envelope

Maureen Johnson

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: April 26, 2011

Pages: 304

Source: NetGalley

Ratings: 4 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Ginny Blackstone thought that the biggest adventure of her life was behind her. She spent last summer traveling around Europe, following the tasks her aunt Peg laid out in a series of letters before she died. When someone stole Ginny's backpack—and the last little blue envelope inside—she resigned herself to never knowing how it was supposed to end.

Months later, a mysterious boy contacts Ginny from London, saying he's found her bag. Finally, Ginny can finish what she started. But instead of ending her journey, the last letter starts a new adventure—one filled with old friends, new loves, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Ginny finds she must hold on to her wits . . . and her heart. This time, there are no instructions.

Ever since I read 13 Little Blue Envelopes way back in 2006, I have been anxiously awaiting a sequel to find out what has happened to the last envelope from Ginny’s aunt Peg. When I got the sequel, I was ecstatic with joy and so excited. Maureen Johnson did not fail to deliver in this long await sequel.

I loved that in this sequel, Ginny goes back to London and we meet back up with characters she met along her travels in the first book. Along with familiar faces, such as Keith, Maureen Johnson introduces new people into Ginny’s life that will help accompany her on this last adventure set out by her aunt. One of the new characters is Oliver, the mysterious boy who ends up with Ginny’s stolen backpack and the last envelope. While at first I did not really Oliver, partly because Ginny also did not like him, I ended up LOVING him and really sympathizing for him. His intentions in the beginning, using Ginny, made me really doubt him, but as the story progressed, more about Oliver was revealed and I ended up loving him. Keith on the other hand, I was saddened to see what happened to this character I loved from the first book. I ended up really not liking him in this book, but it was completely justified. Keith has changed since the time Ginny saw him, and I wouldn’t say the change was for the better. Even though I ended up thinking Keith was a jerk towards the end of the book, I was still really glad Ginny met back up with him to continue her adventure for the last time.

The Last Little Blue Envelope was just as funny and heart-wrenching as it predecessor. Maureen Johnson’s signature style of humor was present throughout. She constantly had me giggling between the actions Ginny and her friends go and through their dialogue. If there is one thing Maureen Johnson knows how to do, it is to make people laugh. The humor is just effortless. While this book had me in stitches at times, I also found myself crying towards the end. Ginny’s emotion was captured perfectly, I was experiencing the same feelings as Ginny the whole time. One of the most captivating scenes in this entire book for me was when Ginny completes the final step of what her Aunt Peg set out for her to do in the last little blue envelope. It was a really emotional scene that had me teary eyed.

Ginny’s adventures with the envelopes are over at the end of this book, and the series is over, but I felt that this book wrapped up the series perfectly. Their was complete closure. I was glad to see Ginny’s adventure end the way it was, and I was so glad about the realization Ginny had at the ending of this book. Maureen Johnson nice wraps up everything in this long awaited sequel. I’m so glad she wrote it and was able to finish up Ginny’s story, bringing it nicely to a close.

If you are one of the people who read 13 Little Blue Envelopes when you were younger, you will not be disappointed in this sequel. It is everything you would want in its sequel and is definitely worth the wait.

If you haven’t had a chance to read 13 Little Blue Envelopes for two weeks only, April 12- 25, Maureen Johnson and HarperCollins are giving away free digital editions of the book in preparation for the sequel. To learn more about this and were to get your free copy read Maureen’s blog entry about it here. 

Waiting on Wednesday (42) - Shattered Souls

Shattered Souls

Mary Lindsey

Publisher: Philomel/ Penguin

To be released: December 8, 2011

Summary (from Goodreads):

Lenzi hears voices. She also sees visions--gravestones, floods, a gorgeous guy with steel gray eyes. She knows she must be going crazy, just like her dad did. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't do anything to help, and the voices just keep getting louder, the visions more intense. But when Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, everything makes sense.

Sort of.

He tells Lenzi that she's a reincarnated Speaker--someone who can talk to lost souls and help them move on--and that he has been her Protector for centuries. But instead of embracing her abilities, Lenzi struggles between her life as the girlfriend of a sexy musician and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. Yet time is running out; a malevolent spirit has been trying to destroy Lenzi for ages, and he will surely kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

Her choices are clear: Destiny or normalcy. Alden or Zak. Life or death.

First off I am in LOVE with this cover. It is gorgeous and just plain cool! Secondly, the synopsis sounds pretty cool. I cannot wait to read this one.  

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event highlighting exciting upcoming releases. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Winner of Signed Clarity

The winner of the signed Clarity by Kim Harrington is Mary Ellen! Congratulations!

Review: Red Glove

Red Glove

Holly Black

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Release Date: April 5, 2011

Pages: 320

Source: GalleyGrab

Ratings: 4 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself?

Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

First off, let me say I didn't love White Cat. I liked White Cat but did not really love it. I actually haven’t read it since it was released and I was only gonna check out the sequel because it was a sequel if I had time. However, thanks to some persuading by Jen, I decided to give Red Glove a go instead of putting it off and I am really glad I did.

Red Glove was a great sequel. Personally, I really enjoyed Red Glove about ten times more than White Cat. I really felt the now that Cassel’s world was already developed, Holly Black was able to do more with the actual plot and characters.

After the ending of White Cat, I was interested to see what was going to happen with Cassel and Lila’s relationship. I really loved the dynamics of their relationship. Cassel cares a lot for her, but wants their relationship to be genuine, not the work of some curse, and it was heart-wrenching to see how hard he was trying to make the relationship not work because it was not real.

I really loved the mystery element of this book. The whole murder plot was interwoven seamlessly with the Feds. You could feel Cassel’s confusion at what to do, should he stay loyal to his family or help the government find his brother’s murderer. When the murderer was revealed, I was shocked. It definitely was not who I expected. And the big con in this book was brilliant. Cassel is a genius and a great con artist even if he does not want to be.

The ending made me frustrated at some of the characters, but frustrated in a good way. I was really saddened that I was at the end of the book, I wanted it to keep going! I literally flew through reading this book I was so engrossed. Holly Black has created an intriguing, unique world filled with some very great characters, characters who you learn a lot more about in this sequel. Now if only Black Heart were out now…