Book Haul: Dragons, Princesses, and Code Names

Hey! Before we get into this post, if you have a few minutes, could you fill out this blog survey? Thanks! :)

So, while this was kinda a slow mailbox week, I DID end up purchasing a few (read: a lot) of books and am now drowning in books. But! I did cull more from my shelves, so the books I bought have homes on the shelves. In related news: I either need to not buy so many books, or buy another bookcase and find somewhere to put it. O___o

Won:
Eon by Alison Goodman from Cecilia. YOU GUYS. Why haven't I read this book before? I basically peeked at the first page when I got it and then before I knew it, I was 100 pages into the book and decided hey, maybe I should commit and read this book. BUT IT IS SO GOOD! So good.

Bought:
The Selection by Kiera Cass YES, I get that there was a scene with the agent and the author of this one, but I read the sample and wanted to read on. It seems like it could be a good story and I'm willing to give it a shot. Authors fuck up, but if they can tell a good story, I'll still read them.
A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young already reviewed here, but I really wanted a finished copy! Love this series.
The Demon King, The Exiled Queen, The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima I've actually already read this series (CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FOURTH ONE!) but I love it so much I wanted my own copy.
Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris Um, yeah, this book sounds like a me book and I have been wanting it for a really long time and FINALLY have it now YAY!
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfruend I've heard a LOT of fantastic things about this one, and April's review sorta sealed the deal for me. Plus I read parts of the first chapter on Amazon and I knew after that I needed the book.
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein I've already reviewed it, but you guys, I needed a finished copy of this one. Needed one. It's so soft! I petted it and then flipped to THE page and reread that scene and immediately felt sad and tears welled up. Sniff.

For Review (physical): 
Sweet Land of Bigamy by Miah Arnold I hate the title for this one, but it sounds like a pretty good read.

For Review (ebooks):
Mystic City by Theo Lawrence
The Kill Order by James Dashner

Thanks to Random House! <3

THIS WEEK IN REVIEW:

Hee - I did some book blogger problems on Twitter, and then complied them all into this post. I still think they are hilarious. I'm a dork like that though.

Reviews! What happened in Reviewlandia this week? Well, I finished Surrender and didn't like it. At all. I also reviewed Bound by Erica O'Rourke, the last in her trilogy, and finally why I didn't enjoy this one like the rest came to the surface. It does suck when the last book breaks the series for you. But! I did review A Midsummer's Nightmare and freaking LOVED it! <3

Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday! I WOW'd the next book on my ARC-wishlist, which happened to be . . . Survive by Alex Morel. I am super excited for this one. 

Friday brought us a new cover interview! Which, guys, I freaking love this author. When I first got on Twitter, she was one of those first people I discovered. At the time she had an agent, but no book deal. Also, it's very surreal for my friends to be getting book deals. It blows my mind. But I am so happy for them! <3 I hope they all sale lots and lots of books. 

Also: the author is J.A. Souders, RENEGADE comes out in November from Tor Teen. I kinda went off the road in that above paragraph. It happens. 

Short Story Saturday: Reaper by Rachel Vincent. I didn't do one last week because when I realized I hadn't read/reviewed a novella/short story, it was like three minutes to midnight and I was still camped out on my friend's couch watching a movie. But I already said it wasn't going to be an every Saturday thing. 

And! I reached 300 followers and threw a giveaway. it ends sometime in July. I think next week Friday? I think? I'm not really sure. But I do know there's still time to enter if you are interested in books? Yeah. 

Have a lovely weekend! <3

Short Story Saturday: Reaper by Rachel Vincent

I don't read a lot of anthologies, but I've recently acquired quite a few, and a few magazines for review, and decided to take a page from Lauren and 365 Days of Reading and do Short Story Saturday, where I talk about a story from an anthology, or even a novella/novellete, every Saturday (or try to)! You can view what anthologies and novellas I'll reviewing here. 

Reaper by Rachel Vincent, a novella set between My Soul To Keep and My Soul To Steal (books 3 and 4). It was released December 1, 2010 by Harlequin TEEN. It's available on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google eBooks. It's approximately 64 pages. 



Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred.

Suddenly Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life... Death... or something Between....

***

I LOVE this series! I wish I would have discovered it earlier so I'm not trying to catch up (granted, I do only have two more full length novels to read before I am caught up.) 

Here's the deal: when I first met Tod, he seemed creepy and not a swoonable hero. And I was SO CONFUSED as to how someone could fall for Tod. You guys, I totally understand now. Especially after My Soul To Keep and reading Reaper. *wipes away tear* 

I think Reaper provides a great inside look at what exactly happened to Tod and adds to the overall storyline of the series. It was a fast read and I am wanting to take a sick day to read My Soul To Steal instead of the books I have to read. I loved that we got to know Tod before the car accident and what ultimately ended his life. He's normal, which I liked since he's not normal at all in the books. I liked that he sacrificed himself--I thought it was really sweet of him to do so! Which is why I am now in love with Tod instead of that jerk Nash (which you totally understand why he's a jerk if you've read the third book.)

While Reaper isn't a novella you HAVE to read for this series, I think you should. I would recommend it to those who are a little off about Tod's characters, even after reading the third book. I don't think it spoils books one and two, not in the grand plot of things, but it could possibly spoil Tod's character if you have yet to read the books. 

Rating: ★★★★★

Blog Survey

Hey lovelies!

I have been blogging for almost a year (in August!) and while I have improved slightly over the past ten months, I know have feedback from OTHERS will greatly improve my blog. I'm really curious what you all have to say, so if you could spare a few minutes, I'd greatly appreciate you filling out this survey! :) Thanks, all! <3

Cover Interview: Renegade by J.A. Souders

Every Friday, I bring you a new cover interview and hope to introduce you to books you want to read, or the very least make you more excited for the book. This week's pick is... 

Renegade by J.A. Souders

November 13, 2012 by Tor Teen (US)

August 20, 2012 by IVI (Random House Germany) (I think)

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all. 

I'm REALLY excited for Renegade; J. A. is a friend and I was so freaking excited for her when she got her book deal and now I'm counting down the months until I can read Renegade! Plus, its covers are gooorgeous! I feel a little sorry for the questions I asked her, heh.

About J. A.:

 

J.A. Souders was born in the heartland with an overactive imagination and an over abundance of curiosity that was always getting her into trouble. 

Because she never grew up, she decided she’d put her imaginary friends to work and started writing. She now lives in the land of sunshine and palm trees with her husband and their two children and is an active member of the RWA, SFWA, YARWA and SCBWI. 

She is represented by Natalie Lakosil of the Bradford Literary Agency and her debut novel, RENEGADE, will be released Fall 2012.

Visit her at her website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

And now onto the interview!

Ashelynn: When I saw your US cover, I loved it, but then when you released your German cover, I think I fell more in love with it. GORGEOUS covers. What is one cover that you absolutely freaking love (besides your own)?

J.A.: Eeek! Asking the hardball questions already, huh?  There are SO many covers that are just so fantastic lately, but if I had to choose one, I'm going to have to say ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD. It's the perfect blend of gorgeous and creepy.  And it really set the tone for the book. I love how it's all foggy with Anna's house in the background and Anna just sorta floating in the front with her dress dripping blood.  It's a haunting and stunning visual. One that I can never really get out of my head.

A: I have to ask the hardball ones first! :P If you had to pick, which cover is your favorite, or what is your favorite part of your covers? I think I love the German cover a tiny bit more—but I love that the US cover’s font, andthe flower, and the background.

J: I honestly can't really pick one.  They're both perfect in their own ways, but I'll say that the US cover probably embodies the feel of the story better.  It may not seem like it at first glance, but if you look closely at all the details, you'll see that it's telling its own story.  One that Mother might not want you to know.  I think my favorite part of that cover though isn't the beautiful roses or the gorgeous and heavily detailed background, it's the stuff you can't really see. And that's the symbolism. Like the secret behind Evelyn's closed eyes. The rusty walls in an utterly perfect garden. The blood dripping from Evelyn's fingers. It all means something. Even her dress.  (Yes, it actually has a meaning beside every cover having a gorgeous girl in a pretty dress. ; ) ) And that goes with the German cover as well. I think both designers are wonderful and really "Got" the story.  And I love how Germany took that and used the symbolism in a different way. With a girl trapped in a water droplet.  Simplistic yet...just about perfect.  

A: I really do love that answer. Did you have any say in your cover(s)?

J: I actually had a lot of say in my US cover, which is fantastic. I told them in the beginning just how I visualized my cover and they gave it to me. Mostly. ;) Of course, there was plenty I didn't have a say over, but the cover came out just perfect, so I can't complain. The artist they hired was fantastically in tune with what Evelyn should look like and hired a model that was really close to how I see Evelyn in my head, not to mention she did a stunning job bringing about the beauty and mystique of Elysium. And the font Seth came up with is PERFECT. I love it.  Germany on the other hand, I had no say at all, and I'm just fine with that as well. I will admit there are things that I don't like about it, but overall it's a very simple and powerful cover and I love it just as much as I love my US one.  

A: When you saw your covers, what did you do?

J: This will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me. I cried. The good kind of tears, though.  Then I immediately phoned my husband and my BFFs/CPs.  Then I stared at it for DAYS on end. I even have a blown up version I have in my office that I look at when I start to feel like I can't write.  

A: Describe your covers in three words. (or I guess six in this case!)

J: US:  

Creepy, beautiful, perfect.  

German: 

Elegant, simplistic, stunning

A: Describe Renegade in three words.

J: I think I'm going to have to steal Ann Aguirre's thoughts and say, "Grim, vicious, riveting... ."  :)  

A: I love teasing because it’s always fun to watch people squirm—can you say anything teasing about Renegade? 

J: Umm.... Ack! Okay.  Let's see.  Someone at some point uses the words 'love', 'kill', and 'sane' in the same sentence. There's some really smoking hot scenes. A decent amount of kissing. A surprising hero A daring rescue, which isn't done by said hero. The last word of dialogue is 'yes."   And how about a tiny excerpt?  "He closes his eyes and steps forward, pressing the gun to his own head. “What are you doing?” I ask. Panic tears through me. “Making it easier for you," he says."  Of course, I've adjusted that excerpt to remove spoilers.  :P

Thank you, Jessica, for the interview! And for letting me gush all over you. Readers, what cover do you like more? US or German? 

Also! if there is an author/cover you'd LOVE to see interviewed, I have set up this handy dandy form. Please help me out! If you love this series, and want to see more interviews, fill out the form. It's all anonymous, so if you are an author and want extra publicity, fill out the form! I still retain the right of final decision on who I email, though. :)

review: Surrender by Elana Johnson

Surrender by Elana Johnson
June 5, 2012
Simon Pulse
Young Adult | Dystopian
Possession #2
Pages: 480
Source/Format: Publisher/ARC
Rating: ★ 
Author's Website | Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound


As this is a sequel, it contains spoilers for book one, and my review does, too. You've been warned.


Forbidden love, intoxicating power, and the terror of control…

Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father’s rules: He’s the Director. It’s because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent—a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.

All of that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine’s got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can’t. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi’s boyfriend, Zenn. Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine’s father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. She’s even starting to suspect Vi’s secrets might involve Freedom’s newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque....

REVIEW:

Oh, Surrender. I should have known you were bad news from the very beginning. But I was willing to give you a try, in hopes that you were a tiny bit better than Possession. Sadly, for me you weren’t. The problems I had with Possession I had with Surrender.

I honestly don’t find this dystopian world believable. The characters have private conversations over caches, and when lights flash red (I have NO CLUE what that was supposed to be—a bug of some sort to block technology, right? BUT HOW DID IT WORK?) and such, and there are so much technology against the government’s rules it makes me think how and why it was even created in the first place. In a world where you try to have complete control over your citizens, it doesn’t add up. They WOULDN’T have been created, and the citizens wouldn’t have them! It was a gimmick to help the characters out. One that really annoyed me.

Surrender is told in dual POV and the voices blended together so well that when I put the book down and came back minutes later, I wouldn’t remember who was narrating the chapter. I noticed Elana Johnson attempted “easy” POV differences, with Gunner repeating words, but that was honestly the only difference I found between the two voices. Raine’s voice, however, was different than Gunner’s in the beginning, in her first chapter. But as the story progressed, they blended together and made me go cross-eyed.

But my biggest problem with Surrender is it reads like Possession—just with two narrators. Vi, the narrator of Possession is a “good girl” … and so is Raine. If I remember correctly (and please don’t quote me on this) Gunner and Vi have the same power. Ability. Whatever. Surrender even has the same-ish plot as Possession: playing the control game.

This is a spoiler, so highlight if you’ve read Surrender/don’t mind spoilers. Surrender ends the same way as Possession. Like, I get why it does, but nothing peeves me more than the same ending. Goddamn I was so pissed when I read that ending. I mean, RAINE gets brainwashed into thinking she’s another person. And hello, Vi was brainwashed at the end of Possession. What. The. Crack. Just no.

I just really struggled with this one. I couldn’t remember who was who, or what happened in Possession (besides that horrid ending), or even the world. Did Vi live in Freedom or what? Or another city? I get that you can’t exactly rehash what happened in Possession in Surrender since there’s different narrators, but I don’t have a copy of Possession. I don’t want to reread it either before starting the sequel (although, holla, it’s a good idea to if you don’t remember what happened in Possession!) I think it’s bad that after almost 500 pages, I still don’t have a clue what went down.

I know I’m supposed to say what I did like, but honestly… I don’t remember what I did like, or if I did like anything, and I’m writing this review HOURS after I finished the book. It took me forever to read the book, too. There was nothing hooking me to read it (so yeah, why did I finish it? I think because I was already so far in when I realized that I didn’t like it.) I wish I liked Surrender, I really do. Elana Johnson is such a great person online, and I love reading her blogs, but Possession and Surrender? I wish I liked them.

*This review sucks, I know, and I’m not even sure I’m correct on all the details. It’s just, Surrender left me in a fog while I was reading that I don’t remember things correctly, and yeah, I could look them up, but if I didn’t understand the first time, how am I going to understand the second time? 

Other Reviews:
Avery's Book Nook
A Cupcake and a Latte

Waiting on Wednesday (41): Survive

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Survive by Alex Morel

August 2, 2012 by Razorbill

Goodreads

Hatchet meets Lost in this modern-day adventure tale of one girl's reawakening

Jane is on a plane on her way home to Montclair, New Jersey, from a mental hospital. She is about to kill herself. Just before she can swallow a lethal dose of pills, the plane hits turbulence and everything goes black. Jane wakes up amidst piles of wreckage and charred bodies on a snowy mountaintop. There is only one other survivor: a boy named Paul, who inspires Jane to want to fight for her life for the first time.

Jane and Paul scale icy slopes and huddle together for warmth at night, forging an intense emotional bond. But the wilderness is a vast and lethal force, and only one of them will survive.

YOU GUYS! I am in love with this cover. Normally I'm not a fan of a girl's face and then landscape, but this one works SO FREAKING WELL. And that summary? Cannot WAIT for this one! And yes, this is on my wishlist! Someone please send me a copy of this book!


What are you waiting on? Leave links! I'll be away from my computer all day, but I'll comment on other blogs in the evening/Thursday!

review: Bound by Erica O'Rourke

Bound by Erica O'Rourke
June 26, 2012
K Teen
Torn #3
Young Adult | Urban Fantasy
Pages: 350
Source/Format: Publisher/ARC
Rating: ★★★1/2
Author's Website | Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound


This review isn't spoilerish for the first two books in the series, but the summary is, so maybe skip over it unless you like spoilers?

“I beat you. Twice. No magic, and I still beat you. And that was when I didn’t know what I was doing.” I smiled, cold as the winter sky outside. “Imagine what I’m capable of now.”

Mo Fitzgerald has made her choice: A life in Chicago. A future with Colin. To leave behind the enigmatic Luc and the world of the Arcs. But every decision she’s made, from avenging her best friend’s death to protecting the people she loves, has come at a terrible price.

As her father returns from prison and the Seraphim regroup, war breaks out in both her worlds. And Mo isn’t the only one with secrets to hide and choices to make. The more she struggles to keep her magic and mortal lives separate, the deadlier the consequences. In the end, Mo must risk everything—her life, her heart, her future—or lose it all.

IN A SENTENCE:

There's something about the third book in a series. Choices characters make can either break or make the book for you, and sadly, choices Mo made in Bound broke the book for me. While I loved the first two, Bound wasn't what I was expecting at all. A slightly disappointing ending to a fantastic series.

REVIEW:

You know, it really freaking sucks when you dislike a book and you've gotten to know the author. Or the book belongs to one of your favorite series. Which happens to me with Bound by Erica O'Rourke. I'm sorry, Erica, but I didn't like this one as much as the others. 

I love this series—Erica O’Rourke knows how to write a damn good story and she keeps me hooked throughout the entire book; however, a choice a character makes in Bound makes me not like this one as much as the others. And that makes me really, really sad.

Bound has HUGE consequences, and you know things won’t turn out how you want them to be. It’s a great conclusion to an even better series; I just wish Mo didn’t make the choice she did in the middle of the book. It ruined the second half and ending for me. Like it makes sense to me why she did make those choices, but it didn’t FEEL right for me. And I half-way wonder if it’s because of my feelings toward a character, but I honestly never expected Mo to make that decision and UGGGGH. I just don’t know.

Yo, there is so much packed into this little book. (I’m totally joking about that; it’s longer than the first two, so it isn’t really little…) I LOVED it. And so much angst. I mean, Mo’s dad is back and working for her uncle again (!) and it’s all crazy. Anton is out to kill Mo and you guys it’s all so crazy and chaotic and I really loved that part of the story. The first 250-ish pages: AWESOME. And maddening. But awesome.

I think it’s a great final book to the series. Things are tied up at the end and Mo makes her choice. But I wish that wasn’t how the story ended; I kinda hope there’s a fourth book where Mo goes back to a certain character and make amends. I’d be happy then. In FACT, I may just pretend that is how it all ends. La la la happy land.

I’d still recommend Bound—and most definitely this series. I love the mob and the magic; I love the two different worlds and how they cross paths at times. That is what I want with urban fantasy because that is epic.

He sat down, taking my hand in his. "What if you choose wrong?" 

"You have to trust that I won't." It shouldn't be such a leap, trusting me. How could you love someone if you couldn't trust them? I'd made my choice. Now I had to make it the right one. "If I stayed here, would it be so terrible?"  

Before he could answer, I pressed my mouth to his, hungry for reassurance. Whatever he said was lost in the kiss, and then I was lost, too, and he was all I had to hold onto. His hands slid underneath my sweat, under my T-shirt, his fingers dipping to the waistband of my jeans, and I whimpered, not sure how to ask for more but wanting it all the same.

- p. 49/50, ARC


Uh, of course I had to pick a smexy scene! What kind of person would I be if I DIDN'T? :P


Other Reviews:
Woven Myst

Book Blogger Problems

These are supposed to be lighthearted fun tweets, so if you have a problem with one . . . uh, I'm sorry? They're not meant to be offensive. Also, include your own! Go to twitter and use the hashtag "#bookbloggerproblems

I give my friend a book recommendation, but the book doesn't come out for two more months. #bookbloggerproblems
— ashelynn hetland (@athetland) June 25, 2012

Having to wait for the sequel when you read the first book in ARC form. #bookbloggerproblems
— ashelynn hetland (@athetland) June 25, 2012

Having to spend time with your irl friends, who don't book blog. #whoarethesepeople? #bookbloggerproblems
— ashelynn hetland (@athetland) June 25, 2012

FYI, I love my irl friends. I really truly do. Lighthearted fun, people.

Having to talk about anything BUT books. #bookbloggerproblems
— ashelynn hetland (@athetland) June 25, 2012

Don't get the ARC, have to wait until release date--like everybody else. #bookbloggerproblems
— ashelynn hetland (@athetland) June 25, 2012

people not reading your review policy. #bookbloggerproblems
— ashelynn hetland (@athetland) June 25, 2012

No money to buy the latest release, because you are a broke college student. (also: on a book buying ban) #bookbloggerproblems
— ashelynn hetland (@athetland) June 25, 2012

Get a book you are DYING to read, just have a huge list of books in front of it. #bookbloggerproblems
— ashelynn hetland (@athetland) June 25, 2012

hee hee hee.

Swimming in the ocean, run into a whale. #bookbloggerproblems oh wait, nope, that's #penguinproblems
— ashelynn hetland (@athetland) June 25, 2012

I was watching Happy Feet while doing these tweets. It happens.

So many books to read, not enough time. #bookblogggerproblems
— ashelynn hetland (@athetland) June 25, 2012

Want to read, but have to write a lot of reviews first. #bookbloggerproblems
— ashelynn hetland (@athetland) June 25, 2012

review: A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
June 5, 2012
Poppy
Young Adult | Contemporary
Standalone
Pages: 304
Source/Format: Publisher/Hardcover
Rating: ★★★★★
Author's Website | Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound


Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorcé dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great.

Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.

Filled with authenticity and raw emotion, Whitley is Kody Keplinger's most compelling character to date: a cynical Holden Caulfield-esque girl you will wholly care about.

IN A SENTENCE:

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger is my new favorite book of hers; it includes it all: an intoxicating forbidden romance, an angry heroine, and her path to change how she is. I absolutely loved this one and would recommend it to everybody.

REVIEW:

 I said on Goodreads that A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger might be my new favorite book of hers, and it’s so true. I loved The DUFF, but it seemed like she hit the sophomore slump with Shut Out. But you guys, I loved A Midsummer’s Nightmare. It’s so freaking GOOD.


Whitley is a character I just fell for; everything about her could make you hate her (trust me, I wanted to) but I ended up feeling so sympathetic for her. Her life sucks. And if I had a stepbrother that I tapped and then had to spend the entire summer with? I would have turned around right then and there and gone home to my mother.

YOU GUYS. Stepbrother Nathan was totally hot and totally forbidden ARGHH. I so wanted them to admit they had feelings and to KISS. Despite awkwardness aside. I mean, they aren’t stepsiblings yet! It’s totally okay, right? :P YES YES IT IS, SO KISS (AGAIN) ALREADY! And *cough* do the deed! *cough*

What I honestly truly loved about this one was that Bianca and Wesley show up; oh yes, they do. Remember The Duff characters? That scene made my heart melt and feel all the feelings. I LOVED it.

A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger is an emotional book, but I ate it up in a day. It was such a refreshing read and I would definitely recommend it to everybody. I’m such a fan of Kody and her books, and now I’m really excited for her fourth novel (Goldfish) which sounds like a book written for me.

If you haven’t picked up A Midsummer’s Nightmare (or her other two novels!) I highly recommend going to the bookstore right now. 

"Hypocrite," I spat. "I didn't hear you complaining last time we were at a party. You got wasted, too. It's not like I took advantage of you. You made the choice to sleep with me."  

"I know," he said through clenched teeth. "And you were the biggest mistake I have ever made."  

"I drew back, my hand flying to my chest, my fingers curling into my palm. His words hit me like a punch in the gut. I opened my mouth to say something. To yell at him. To deliever a good comeback that would sting him in the same way. But nothing came to me. My throat was closing in on itself.  

Biggest mistake. I was his biggest mistake.  

He wasn't mine.  

He didn't even make the top ten. Maybe not my top one hundred. Because, despite all the shit going on, that night with him had actually been nice. Great, even.

- p. 107, hardcover  


Other Reviews:
A Good Addiction
Dear Author
Hippies, Beauty, and Books . . . Oh My!

300 Follower Giveaway!

OKAY, so I'm really really excited to have 300 followers! Thank you ALL. *MWAH* Really, I don't think I can express my gratitude for all my readers, and for everybody who leaves a comment or talk books with me via Twitter or email or whatever. I LOVE talking about books, probably a little more than most people, and that was the whole reason I started this blog to talk books. And it makes me so so freaking happy that I've met 300 other people who love to talk books, too! 

*GROUP HUG TIME* 

So, yes, I do have a giveaway for you guys. Because I want to celebrate my milestone with YOU guys, who made this happen!

The Details:

• to enter, fill out the rafflecopter form
• must be thirteen years of age or older (and have parents consent unless 18.) 
• contest is open to US/Canada address only, which totally means if somebody is in those countries and willing to ship it to you, it counts (and I am so, so sorry, internationals! but alas, I don't have the money to ship international. :()
• the winner will be notified by email unless for some odd reason there isn't an email provided. the winner will also be listed on this post at the end of the giveaway
• the winners will have 72 hours to respond to the email or a new winner will be picked
• two winners will be picked, and they get to choose two books. YAYYY!
• the whole tweet this giveaway is also open to Facebook, Goodreads, etc. Just leave your link to the status in the form. <3

The Prizes: 


Because I know how you guys are. So I have this GIANT ASS BOX of books to give away. Some are ARCs, some are finished copies, and I think one of them is signed.  You can find the list HERE. 


Update: So, I realize my wording was a little . . . misleading. If you read the details, you would know that there are only two winners, who choose two books. Unfortunately, I can't ship the entire box because I don't have a box that big to ship the books. And the boxes they are in are falling apart. So yes, two winners, four books. Sorry about that!


Thanks, again, everybody. :) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Haul: DUALED (!) THE RAVEN BOYS (!!) anddd. . .

I love book haul posts. I love seeing what others got in the mail (I'm not a jealous person, despite usually commenting with "jealous" on people's posts.)

Anyway, you know how last week's book haul was kinda big and exciting? Well I forgot one book. YEAH I KNOW. In my defense, I've been editing and the book was hiding under my notebook and kindle. I couldn't see it!

Now you're all wondering what book it is, right? RIGHT? *cackles*

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater! YES I HAVE IT AND AM SO SCARED TO READ IT. I mean, I freaking loved The Scorpio Races and thought that was Maggie Stiefvater at her best and *gulp* now there's The Raven Boys and I am a very conflicted Ashelynn. O___O

Also, the manuscript I'm editing is fantasy, so I'm veering away from reading fantasy right now. O___o even though like 45% of all the books I need to read are fantasy.

ANYWAY. I got The Raven Boys from the lovely Jen from YA Romantics. Thanks, dear! <3 I'll read it soon! Once I get over my fear. :)

Also, another BEA goer got Fathomless and Magisterium for me and I AM SO FULL OF EXCITE. I love Jackson Pearce's novels and can't wait for this retelling of The Little Mermaid, and Jeff Hirsch's Magisterium? Don't you just LOVE that title and cover?

Thank you, Steph! You and Jen are amazing. :) xoxo

Oh may god, who let me take a picture with my nail polish like that.
Strangely enough, it's still like that.
NEW NAIL POLISH ASAP!

For Review (physical):
Wake by Amanda Hocking Okay, so, I didn't like Switched, but I'm hoping I like this one a lot more. It sounds so good! And I love the cover. So *FINGERS CROSSED*

For Review (ebooks):
Every Day by David Levithan
Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett I absolutely adore this title and can't wait to read it!
Blink Once by Cylin Busby
The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton I requested this one on whim, and now I guess I need to read Blood Magic. The good news is I have it! The bad news my reading schedule is pretty packed. O___o Although I've heard The Blood Keeper is just a companion book, so huzzah?
Butter by Erin Jade Lange  For those that don't know: I'm an assistant for Julie Cross, and I help her run the ARC relays she does for her group The Perfect Ten. Butter was one of the ARCs on the list and well, I didn't really think about it and said "no" to getting it. And then I had to do a blog post and I learned more about Butter and realized I did, in fact, want to read it. So I requested it from Bloomsbury on NetGalley and HUZZAH, I WAS APPROVED! I can't wait for this one. It sounds so good! The cover, however, isn't that amazing. Which is probably why I dismissed this one in the beginning. :P
The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann
Soul Seducer by Alicia Dean
A Certain Kind of Magic by Jessica Starre
Thunder in the Night by Kate Fellowes
Blade Song by J.C. Daniels (a pen name for Shiloh Walker, and yo, I LOVE SHILOH'S BOOKS SO HARD.)

ANDDD

This one. Dualed by Elsie Chapman. I did a cover interview with Elsie, and while emailing her, I realized I really needed Dualed in my life. Once it was up on NetGalley, I requested it and got approved and read it. (YES I HAVE READ IT! AND IT IS SO GOOD! YOU SHOULD TOTALLY GO REQUEST IT RIGHT NOW!) And now I have to wait until 2014 for the sequel and life isn't fair at all. But thank god it didn't have a cliffhanger ending.

Bought:
In Too Deep by Amanda Grace this book was only $1.99 on Amazon for a promotion thing and since I loved But I Love Him, and have been wanting to read In Too Deep, it was too good of a deal for me not to pass it up!
Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham Have read and adored this one! You can read my review and interview with the author here!
The Girl is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines this one was also an Amazon promotion book, and I've been wanting to read this one for a while, so it was a good deal, too! Plus I love Veronica Mars. In fact, I have issued a rule that if Veronica Mars is on, nobody can talk. If Logan Echolls is on the TV, you most CERTAINLY cannot talk or make any noise at all. (Logan--Jason--is my favorite.)
Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson This one was free on Barnes & Noble (the link goes there, and not sure if it's still free, but it's worth a shot?)

I just noticed I bought all ebooks this week. Strange, since I love physical. :P

THIS WEEK IN REVIEW:

I reviewed Angel Eyes, which I loved until the dramatic moment and then it went to pits. Le sad. But on Thursday I turn around and review A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young and tell the people who haven't read the series to READ IT RIGHT NOW.

In collaboration for my review of Angel Eyes, I make a list of my favorite angel books and ask you: what is your favorite angel book? what book should I read that I didn't list?

I also ask if you would like to win a kindle fire and direct you to the launch of Crimson Romance, a sister company of Tyrus Books. For celebrating their launch, they are giving a kindle fire loaded with twenty-five of their titles! and I think you should so enter it.

And then it was Wednesday and I was waiting on Otherkin by Nina Berry. See why here. Also, see the GORGEOUS cover!

Friday came, and I interviewed Miriam Forster and her debut, City of a Thousand Dolls. We talk about Cindy Pon's Silver Phoenix, high murder counts, and dead blond girls. Being a blond, I was a little scared, but I MADE IT OUT ALIVE! We should probably all be afraid of Miriam, though. She sounds like the Meanest Author Ever.

And, my horses came home from the weekend. I'm the person who feeds them lots of treats, and they know this.

We're watching you, A. And we want more treats. We WILL break through this gate. 

Have a great weekend, everybody! Leave links below to your book hauls, stacking the shelves, IMMs, etc. I'd love to check out what you received recently!

Cover Interview: City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster

Every Friday, I bring you a new cover interview and hope to introduce you to books you want to read, or the very least make you more excited for the book. This week's pick is... 

City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster

February 5, 2013 by HarperCollins

Goodreads

The girl with no past, and no future, may be the only one who can save their lives. 

Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a child. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. Nisha makes her way as Matron’s assistant, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city’s handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.

Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls’ deaths. But by getting involved, Nisha jeopardizes not only her own future in the City of a Thousand Dolls—but her own life.

DUDES. This book sounds totally kickass. And there's answer in the interview (okay, the last one) that makes me want to sell my soul to get an early copy of this book! I'm not even kidding about that. 


About Miriam Forster:

Miriam Forster learned to read at the age of five, wrote her first story at the age of seven and has been playing with words ever since. Her debut novel, CITY OF A THOUSAND DOLLS is being published by HarperCollins.

In her daily life, Miriam is a wife, a terrible housekeeper and a dealer of caffeine at a coffee shop. In her internal life, she imagines fight scenes, obsesses about anthropology, nature shows and British television, and reads far too many books.

Miriam is represented by Jennifer Laughran of the Andrea Brown Agency. She likes to wander the Internet and is usually in one of the following places: her website | Facebook Page | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Tumblr


And now the interview!


Ashelynn: I have to admit, when you announced your book deal and your book’s title, I was expecting dolls to appear on the cover, but I actually really like this cover. It’s different and I absolutely LOVE the lion statues guarding whatever path the girl is taking. What is one cover that you absolutely freaking love (besides your own)?


Miriam: One of the only books I've ever picked up just because of the cover was Cindy Pon's debut Silver Phoenix. I fell in love with the hardback cover, it's so fierce and bright and beautiful, and the pink really stood out on the shelves. Plus the book is just awesome. 

A: What is your favorite thing about your cover? As you know, I love the lion statues, but I also love the symbols at the bottom. I know if I saw this cover on the shelf in a bookstore, I would buy it just for the cover.


Yay! I think my absolute favorite thing is the details, the weathering on the lions and the way the grass is dotted with flowers. I stare at it a lot, so maybe that's why. *grin* And I love the colors, the blue at the top and the red at the bottom. The symbols represent the six Houses in the City, the House of Flowers, the House of Jade, the House of Pleasure, The House of Music, the House of Combat and the House of Beauty. 


(But oddly enough, I don't know which is which yet! So you'll have to guess.)


A: Haha, that is awesome. Did you have any say in your cover?


M: My editor asked me very early on if there was anything I particularly wanted or didn't want on the cover. I believe my exact words were "Please don't put a blonde girl on the cover of my book. Unless she's dead. But even then..."


Not that I have anything against blondes, mind you. (I married one!) But City of a Thousand Dolls is set in a South Asian-inspired fantasy world and there are only four light-haired people in the ENTIRE BOOK. My main character has charcoal hair and amber skin, so a blonde girl would have made me very sad. 


(Actually, making the girl's hair a little darker was one of the only things I asked them to fix on the original cover. They were really nice about it too.)


A: I love that you didn't want a white-washed cover. That makes me smile. When you saw your cover, what did you do?


M: Actually, I was at work when I saw the cover for the first time. I had just clocked off and I checked my phone and saw that my editor had sent me an email that said COVER in the subject line. I was totally not expecting it, and I started saying "ohmygosh, ohmygosh ohmygosh." One of my supervisors was in the back getting ready to go on shift and I told her what was going on while I pulled out my computer because my phone was uploading too slowly. 


Then I opened the file and I was absolutely stunned. It was so beautiful and so different from anything I'd had in my head that I couldn't even form an opinion for a moment. After I recovered, I spent the next 40 minutes running around work showing all my coworkers and regular customers. Also there was squeeing. LOTS of squeeing.


A: Describe your cover in three words. 


M: Gorgeous, epic, fascinating.


A: Describe City of a Thousand Dolls in three words.


M: Mysterious. Enchanting. Deadly.


A: I love teasing because it’s always fun to watch people squirm—can you say anything teasing about City of a Thousand Dolls? 


M: This book could get me nominated as Meanest Author Ever. There are several murders, pretty much everyone lies at some point in the story and there is a A Sad and Unfortunate Thing that I cannot tell you about. *grin*


Also there's a caste system, an Empire cut off by magic, some secret making out, and a woman who can turn into a fox.


That answer makes me want to read this book NOW. And I do mean now. I am going to be begging HarperCollins for an ARC once the release date is closer. Thank you, Miriam, for allowing me to be strange and interview you! Readers, what do you think about the cover for City of a Thousand Dolls? 


Also! if there is an author/cover you'd LOVE to see interviewed, I have set up this handy dandy form. Please help me out! If you love this series, and want to see more interviews, fill out the form. It's all anonymous, so if you are an author and want extra publicity, fill out the form! I still retain the right of final decision on who I email, though. :)