Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (90) - The Archived

The Archived
Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Hyperion
To be released: January 22, 2013

 Summary (from Goodreads):

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books. 

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous—it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

I cannot wait for Victoria Schwab's second book. Her first book, The Near Witch was amazing and so beautifully written. I loved it so much, some other bloggers and I made the The Near Witch Rap. I cannot wait to read the Archived. It sounds unique and awesome and I know the writing will be beautiful. The world can't end in December 2012 because I need to read this book first. Also, this cover is really, really cool.

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

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Books!

This week I went through my bookshelf which means getting rid of books. I have a large number of books I either don't want or have multiple copies of that I am getting rid of. The list is below. If you would like any of these books please email me at overflowingshelf@gmail.com with the title of the book you would like so I can get your contact information. All I ask is that you be willing to pay for the shipping me for the shipping. If you have any question you can email me.

I'll keep this up for a while and update it as needed.

Here's the list:

  • Enclave by Ann Aguirre (ARC)
  • Enclave by Ann Aguirre 
  • Candor by Pam Bachorz
  • The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
  • What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell 
  • Strings Attached by Judy Blundell
  • Going Bovine by Libba Bray
  • Abandon by Meg Cabot
  • Airhead by Meg Cabot 
  • Being Nikki by Meg Cabot 
  • Jinx by Meg Cabot
  • Eve by Anna Carey (ARC) 
  • Dark Eden by Patrick Carman (ARC) 
  • The Girl Next Door by Selene Castrovilla (ARC)
  • The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad (ARC)
  • The Explosionist by Jenny Davidson (Signed)
  • The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz (Bookplate)
  • The Dark Divine by Bree Despain (The Dark Divine #1) 
  • The Lost Saint by Bree Despain (The Dark Divine #2)
  • Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles 
  • Uneartlhy by Cynthia Hand
  • Incarceron by Catherine Fisher 
  • Sapphique by Catherine Fisher (ARC)
  • Relic Master: The Dark City by Catherine Fisher (ARC)
  • Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jesicca Day George
  • Evernight by Claudia Gray (Evernight #1) 
  • Stargazer by Claudia Gray (Evernight #2)
  • Hourglass by Claudia Gray (Evernight #3) 
  • Hail Caesar by Thu-Huong Ha
  • The Secret Prince by Violet Haberdasher (ARC)
  • How to Rock Braces and Glasses by Meg Haston (ARC) 
  • North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley 
  • Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley (ARC)
  • Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus 
  • Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson 
  • The Taker by Alma Katsu (ARC)
  • The Wreckers by Iain Lawrence
  • The Smugglers by Iain Lawrence
  • Nice and Mean by Jessica Leader (signed to Danielle) 
  • Open Wounds by Joseph Lunievicz
  • Bunheads by Sophie Flack
  • The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
  • Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez (ARC)
  • Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer (Bloody Jack #1)
  • Under the Jolly Roger by L.A. Meyer (Bloody Jack #3)
  • My Bonny Light Horseman by L.A. Meyer (Bloody Jack #6)
  • Rapture of the Deep by L.A. Meyer (Bloody Jack #7) 
  • The Wake of the Lorelei Lee by L.A. Meyer (Bloody Jack #8)
  • Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (Collector's Edition) 
  • Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
  • New Moon by Stephenie Meyer 
  • Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
  • Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
  • The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
  • Fury by Elizabeth Miles (Signed)
  • Dark Souls by Paula Morris 
  • Evermore by Alyson Noel (The Immortals #1)
  • Blue Moon by Alyson Noel (The Immortals #2)
  • Shadowland by Alyson Noel (The Immortals #3)
  • Saving Zoe by Alyson Noel
  • To Catch a Pirate by Jade Parker
  • Seeing Red by Jackson Pearce
  • Peter and the Starcatchers by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry (Peter and the Starcatchers #1) 
  • Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry (Peter and the Starcatchers #2)
  • Peter and the Secret of Rundoon by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry (Peter and the Starcatchers #3)
  • The Bridge to Never Land by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry (ARC)
  • Withering Tights by Louise Rennison
  • Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan (ARC)
  • The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan 
  • Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales
  • The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder (ARC)
  • Far From You by Lisa Schroeder (Signed) 
  • A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan (ARC) 
  • The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith
  • The Vampire Diaries: The Reutrn: Nightfall by L.J. Smith
  • Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler (ARC)
  • Lament by Maggie Stiefvater 
  • Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
  • The Hollow by Jessica Verday
  • Generation Dead by Daniel Waters (Generation Dead #1)
  • Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters (Generation Dead #2)
  • Passing Strange by Daniel Waters (Generation Dead #3)
  • Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman 

Monday, July 23, 2012

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

A Midsummer’s Nightmare
Kody Keplinger
Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Series or Standalone: Standalone
ISBN: 9780316084222
Pages: 304
Websites:

Rating: 5 Stars

Each book that Kody Keplinger releases just gets better and better. A Midsummer’s Nightmare has now replaced Shut Out as my favorite book by her.

 A Midsummer’s Nightmare really showed Keplinger’s growth as a writer. This book is not just a fluffy summer romance book, but delves into Whitley’s very messed up emotional state. Keplinger has such a great range in her writing; she can write a great romance, throw in some humor as well as deal with serious emotional issues, all in one book.

Like Keplinger’s previous books, the characters jump out off the page. Keplinger is really able to capture what it’s like to be a teenager. Almost all the characters have flaws, something I loved, making them feel like an actual person. The characters don’t feel static and their voices flow naturally off the page. Her characters, as always, feel like an actual teenagers.

When I first started this book, I though it would be just a fun contemporary romance novel. Whitley typical summer with her dad gets flipped upside down when he announces he’s getting remarried. To make matters worse, Whitley had a one night stand with her soon to be step brother. Sounds like a fun dramatic read. What A Midsummer’s Nightmare provided was all that plus more. I really loved the book wasn’t all light and fluffy. At times, the book was very serious and Keplinger really delved into the emotional pain that Whitley was feeling and has been feeling for sometime. I loved her exploration of why Whitley acts the way she does and the journey of getting Whiltey to speak up about her feelings.

Whitley was one messed up character, yet I loved her. Her flaws made her relatable and I really empathized with her. She’s an emotional wreck to begin with, and the actions of her dad and what she has to deal with over the summer just make it worse. It was nice to slowly see her open up and accept people into her life. While Whitely feels her dream summer with her dad has turned into a nightmare, but this summer offers her the opportunity to open up and reveal the hurt she keeps buried deep inside. She’s probably my favorite character of Keplinger’s to date. Her emotional pain felt so authentic and it was something many girls could relate to.

Keplinger’s boys in this novel are, of course, awesome. Nathan, as the love interest was not only a hunk, but a sweetheart. I wish every guy was as sweet and caring as he was. Nathan also has his fair share of issues as well, but he’s dealing with them. Whitley’s first best friend, Harrison, is a pretty awesome guy as well. He’s got all the characteristics of a great friend, one I like to have. He’s there for Whitley when she needs him.

The story had me hooked from beginning to end and was very easy to get caught up in. I didn’t want to put the book down until I knew how it would end. I loved how Whitley’s secrets were slowly unveiled and how we got to see the real Whitley. I couldn’t wait to see her finally open up and tell her father how she feels. The romance was cute, but not the star of the book.

A Midsummer’s Nightmare is a perfect summer read. Don’t judge this book by the cover, which I really dislike. The cover doesn’t do the book justice to the wonderful story inside. 

A Midsummer’s Nightmare is everything I wanted and more from a Kody Keplinger book and I highly recommend you pick this one up whether you have read her previous books or now. I can’t wait to see what Kody Keplinger publishes next because each book just gets better than better.