Cover Craving...The Lies That Bind

The Liar Society: Lies That Bind

by Lisa and Lauara Roecker

The Liar Society, book two

Publication date: Dec. 1, 2012

Everyone's favorite neon haired detective is at it again when one of the most popular girls at Pemberly Brown goes missing. Kate Lowry realizes soon enough that this disappearance is tied to the secret societies that rule her private school--only not in the way everyone thinks. As if it’s not hard enough to find a missing girl, Kate is forced to team up with the one person she has worked so hard to avoid--not to mention the one person with the potential to come between her and Liam. As usual, Kate has her hands full searching for the truth amidst many layers of lies. After all, things are never what they seem at Pemberly Brown. (from the authors' blog) 

I can't wait for this book...and I LOVE the new cover.  What a fabulous color combination and style.  I may even have to rock some (fake) blue hair when this is coming out!!! LOL

Dead is Not an Option

Dead is Not an Option

by Marlene Perez

Dead Is series, book five 

It’s springtime of senior year, and psychic sleuth Daisy Giordano is preparing to say goodbye to Nightshade High. But no college acceptance letters have arrived yet, and she’s beginning to worry about where she’ll end up come fall—and if it will be anywhere near her boyfriend, Ryan. But that’s not the only uncertainty Daisy’s dealing with. There’s a vamps-versus-shifters war going on in Nightshade, and things are so tense that there is talk of canceling the prom. The conflict is carrying over to the Giordano home, since Rose and Daisy are both dating werewolves and Poppy’s new boyfriend is a vampire.

Can the paranormal community in Nightshade finally find peace? And will Daisy and her friends survive graduation? (description from Amazon.com)

You know that feeling you get when you pick up a book and you have no doubts that you will love it...that you will lose yourself in it?  That feeling when you meet an old friend.  The feeling when you anticipate laughing out loud...

Yup.  For me, this series is exactly THAT.  I love these books.  I love Daisy, the main character, and her friends and family. I love the paranormal elements - psychics, werewolves, vampires, and more! I love the mysteries, danger, excitement...

Okay, okay. I'll stop gushing.  Let me just say, that I sincerely hope this is not the final book in the series. 

Full disclosure: ARC originally received from Netgalley

Anna Dressed in Blood

Anna Dressed in Blood

by Kendare Blake

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. (description from Amazon.com)

Suprisingly enough, though horror is not usually my thing, I really enjoyed this book. I'm a huge fan of the TV show, Supernatural, and this book really reminded me of that... creepy, cool ghost hunter vibe.

I loved the way that Cas and his mom and he would travel round, working together, taking care of the supernatural. I thought the athame, inherited from his dad was a really cool relic.  The way it ties in later is pretty creepy, too.  It was really interesting to then see how Anna differed from the ghosts that Cas usually dealt with...Cas is normally one cool cucumber, but he's met his match in Anna.

I will warn you that this book has some graphically gory scenes.  There were spots that I read kind of quickly for fear of lingering and leaving images lodged in my brain that might induce nightmares...but it was really well written and compelling.  I had to know what happened to Cas and Anna. 

I am super excited to read book two, Girl of Nightmares, as soon as it comes out!

Full disclosure: Finished copy received from Tor Teen for review
*2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge title*

The Bones of the Holy

The Bones of the Holy
by Jennifer Allison
Gilda Joyce, book five

When Gilda Joyce's mother announces her engagement to a man from St. Augustine, Florida, Gilda is appalled. She hasn't even given him the "Joyce Family Application" yet! But as the wedding preparations get under way, Gilda realizes she has much bigger concerns. Why does her soon-to-be stepdad keep calling Mrs. Joyce by his ex-wife's name? And why is Mrs. Joyce acting like she's possessed?

With only a few short days before her mother says "I do," Gilda knows this much for sure: it's going to take every ounce of her sleuthing skill and psychic savvy to solve this one! (description from Amazon.com)

This series is the perfect antidote to too much "paranormal romance." Gilda is a smart, vivacious, and hilarious mini-detective and her adventures are just the right mix of realistic fiction and the paranormal. I love how even when Gilda is trying to deal with her ghostly encounters, it's even more important that she continues to build the real relationships in her life.

The way that she interacts with her mom and brother are so sweet and yet, true to life. She and her best friend, Wendy, also have a wonderful and thoroughly realistic relationship. I love how they stay in touch even when Wendy goes to camp or Gilda travels through letters and phone calls.

This particular entry into Gilda's adventures was full of really interesting background info. Just like after reading the last book when I wanted to immediately go to the Spy Museum in D.C., now I want to visit St. Augustine, Florida! I had no idea it was the oldest city in the US or that it had such a rich and mixed cultural history. Very intriguing.

For fun mysteries, hilarious hijinks, and a family that will make you smile, give the Gilda Joyce series a try.

Cover Cravings...

Perception
by Kim Harrington
A Clarity Novel

Publication date: March 1, 2012

When you can see things others can't, what happens when someone is watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only, Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared. Clare needs to see her way to the truth -- before it's much too late.

BTW - This cover matches the new paperback cover for Clarity!

The Liar Society

The Liar Society
by Lisa and Laura Roecker

Since when do the dead send emails?

Kate Lowry's best friend Grace died a year ago. So when she gets an email from her, Kate's more than a little confused.

To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)
Kate,
I'm here... sort of.
Find Cameron. He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell. They'll hurt you.

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace's death was more than just a tragic accident. She teams up with a couple of knights-in-(not-so)-shining armor-the dangerously hot bad boy, Liam, and her lovestruck neighbor, Seth. But at their elite private school, there are secrets so big people will do anything to protect them-even if it means getting rid of anyone trying to solve a murder... (description from Amazon.com)

This was one of those books that I finished and I was happy. Just happy. It was fulfilling. I've seen a lot of people online already asking for book 2, but for me, The Liar Society ends at a spot both plot-wise and in Kate's emotional life that I am satisfied with...for me it could be a standalone.

It is a great Veronica Mars like mystery. There's danger, good friends, and snarky attitude. Everything I desired! Kate was a great heroine. Though she was still massively grieving her best friend's death and had no clue what was going on, she was fighting for justice!

My favorite passage from the book is AWESOME and epitomizes everything I loved about Kate:

p. 332 I had to laugh. Something about me running through underground tunnels with a sword was beyond funny, but I took it with me anyway. A girl could never be too careful. Besides, I was ready to start slaying my own damn dragons.

My only complaint - that Kate wasn't wearing an awesome pink wig as she ran through those tunnels with a sword!

Kate's journey is full of twists and turns and mysterious Latin puzzles (that I loved) and her biggest helpers, aside from the romantic lead that was definitely swoon-worthy, were a very hilarious redheaded sidekick who made me think of a cross between Ron Weasley and Agent Fox Mulder and a kick-@ss security guard who I think may honestly have been my favorite character in the whole book. Did I mention how much I loved how much time Kate spent hunting down clues in the Library??

Kate kept me on my toes and Lisa and Laura Roecker are hilarous-ness embodied. If you haven't checked out their blog yet, you must do so immediately! You'll find information about the book, their touring, what they're working on next...oh yeah, and their family stuff, celeb gossip, and did I mention I'm pretty sure this is where Kate got her snarky attitude??

Signing off in true PINK fashion one last time...


Full disclosure: ARC borrowed from the awesome Jen at Yabooknerd.
2011 Debut Author Challenge title

Get to Know...Kim Harrington!

Today, I am super excited to welcome debut author, Kim Harrington to the blog! I reviewed her book, Clarity, as part of a blog tour just the other day (check it out here) and couldn't stop raving about it. It's one of my new favorite books!


I am honored that Kim was able to take the time to answer a few quick questions for me!

1. I loved the fact that each member of the Fern family had different psychic abilities. What type of research did you do to decide what would be needed in the story?

I visited a few psychics. They all have their own style. (Though none of the ones I visited were too mind-blowing with their accuracy.) I didn’t do too much research on the particular gifts. I made my own rules for them.

2. I loved the sibling relationship between Clare and Perry. Was their relationship always going to be that strong, or did that develop as the book did?

They’re one of my favorite relationships to write! Yes, I’d always planned it to be strong. I knew they were opposite in many ways and sometimes wanted to strangle each other, but would always back the other up when needed.

3. Clare reminds me a lot of TV heroine/detective Veronica Mars (who I loved, btw!). Were there any strong influences when you were creating Clare?

Veronica Mars was definitely an influence! I loved that show and was so sad when it ended. I still hope they’ll be able to make their planned movie someday. *OMG - Me too! I would love a VM TV movie!!

4. If Clare could go anywhere on vacation, where do you think she would go…considering she’s from the Cape (a typical vacation spot)?

She gets enough of the sand at home, so a beach vacation is out. Maybe she’d travel to Europe —lots of historic sites and interesting things to “touch.”

5. Can you tell us anything about the next “Clarity” book right now? Or any other projects?

I can tell you that it's finished already, and it will be out in March 2012. Clare will have another mystery to solve. And the events of book one have repercussions for many characters. I also have a standalone coming out in Fall 2012, a ghost story, that I’m excited about!

6. What was the last book that you read that you would recommend to other readers?

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins. I think Clare and Sophie would be BFF if their worlds crossed. ;)
*I think you are totally right...maybe you and Rachel need to discuss a crossover book... (wink, wink!)

7. Quick Picks: Favorite Vacation Destination? Favorite Childhood Book? Favorite Movie? Favorite Food? Favorite Clothing Item?

Vacation: Disney World. I’m kind of a Disney freak. I’ve been sixteen times and counting.

Childhood Book: I had a picture book that I absolutely adored, but I have no idea what the title is. I blogged about it here: http://kimharrington.blogspot.com/2010/10/do-you-know-this-book.html

Movie: This is going to sound weird, but I think my favorite movie of all time is Poltergeist. It’s a perfectly crafted horror film. Absolutely classic.

Food: Pizza from the Lynwood Café in Randolph , MA .

Clothing: Jeans. Not one particular pair. Just jeans. I wear them every day in fall, winter, and spring.

Thanks so much for having me, Jessica! :)

No, really Kim, thank you SOOO much for stopping by! I loved Clarity. If any of you haven't already put it on your TBR list...go. Go now! Do it! Don't forget to check out Kim Harrington's website, too.

In My Mailbox - January 30, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

For Review:

The End of Time by P.W. Catanese

Tighter by Adele Griffin

The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig

Clarity by Kim Harrington

*Thanks to Book It Forward ARC Tours*

On My Nook:

The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen

From the Library:

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman

Anxiously Awaiting...

Kiss of Death
by Lauren Henderson
Scarlett Wakefield, book four

Publication date: May 10, 2011

The Lost Symbol

The Lost Symbol
by Dan Brown
Robert Langdon series, book three

As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object--artfully encoded with five symbols--is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation . . . one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon’s beloved mentor, Peter Solomon--a prominent Mason and philanthropist--is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations--all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.
(description taken from Amazon.com)

Robert Langdon returns in another intriguing, complex Masonic adventure. This particular addition to the series starts off a little slowly, but gains speed quickly. This book once again blends organized religion, secret societies, mysticism, and science.

The science introduced, noetics, is really fascinating to contemplate...and to read about on the internet. The idea that you can actually use your mind to affect the world around you is very cool - I loved the correlations to group healings, prayer circles, and ultimate creation...wow. Very interesting!

The science I think really brought this whole book together, though I also really liked the way that Brown brought people from Langdon's life in closer to the storyline. His relationship to the Soloman family made the story more complex and drew me further into caring about what happened to each character. Smart!

Overall, an entertaining and thought-provoking read.

Kiss in the Dark

Kiss in the Dark
by Lauren Henderson
Scarlett Wakefield series, book three

With Dan McAndrew's murder finally behind her, Scarlett has high hopes for a fresh start at Wakefield Hall Collegiate, the elite English boarding school her grandmother runs. Unfortunately, those hopes are dashed when her nemesis, the infamous Plum Saybourne, is transferred to the school. Plum wastes no time turning Scarlett's impressionable classmates against her.

Scarlett has dealt with Plum's nasty schemes before, and she can handle her archenemy very nicely, thank you - until Plum sets her sights on Scarlett's best friend, Taylor, and new boyfriend, Jase. Then Scarlet is more than willing to fight for what's rightfully hers.

Things only get worse after Scarlett becomes entangled in a mysterious death on campus. Scarlett is compelled investigate because she wants to protect someone close to her. She never imagines that she'll uncover secrets related to her parents' fatal accident so many years ago...
(description from Amazon.com)

There is not alot that I can say about the plot of this book without getting things away...hmmm...so, I'll just tell you that I really enjoyed it. I devoured it in fact. It was well worth the wait!

A lot...and I mean A LOT of little tidbits are revealed in this book, setting things up for book four. Though I was very sad at the end of this book...and no, I won't tell you why!, I was satisfied with the book...and now I am drooling for the next. Already. I feel a little as if Lauren Henderson just loves to tease me. Ah well.

The Body Finder

The Body Finder
by Kimberly Derting

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies - or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world...and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer - and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer...and becoming his prey herself.

I really liked the supernatural twist on this serial killer story. The echoes that Violet gets are really cool because they can be visions, smells, or even sounds. No echo is alike and Derting really changed it up with the different types of echoes that Violet came across.

I love the developing relationship between Jay and Violet. Their crushes on each other are so cute, yet passionate. He is so protective and caring and sweet. Ahhh...a little bit crushworthy!

Though there wasn't a ton of actual traditional mystery/detection going on in the story, since Violet really only relies on her supernatural sense, there were a couple of really good twists and Derting does an excellent job building suspense throughout the story.

The Strawberry Picker

The Strawberry Picker
by Monika Feth

Three girls room together in a small city in the German countryside. While the hunt is on for a serial killer moving through their area, two of the girls begin to worry about the "secret" boyfriend their roommate has been hiding. When she is murdered, suspicion is immediately cast upon the unknown boyfriend. As the girls investigate, and one finds a new boyfriend...who likes to be unknown...will they discover that he's the killer before it's too late?

To be honest, I am not a fan of serial killer books since they are usually kind of gory. It's only recently that I've been able to start watching shows like "Criminal Minds," without getting nightmares and having to check the locks about a thousand times. That being said...

This book was just like watching an episode of "Criminal Minds." You know from the beginning that the strawberry picker is the serial killer but you have to wait until the main characters come to the same conclusion. It was also fairly cinematic in that the chapters alternated between the killer, the girls, the police, and the writer...all of whom are involved in the mystery in some important way. You get to see all facets of the issue and how they connect.

Even as a book I wouldn't normally pick up, it was well written and suspenseful. If you like murder mysteries, thrillers, and especially books where you get to see the killer's perspective, you should try this novel. Definitely geared for upper high school into college age readers.

Hex Hall

Hex Hall
by Rachel Hawkins

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father - an elusive European warlock - only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her Dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries start to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

What a stellar debut from Hawkins! I picked this book up and couldn't put it down. It flowed like a dream. Not once did I question who Sophie was or have any confusion about characters or their relationships to each other.

I loved the world setting - reminiscent of Harry Potter in a way, with regular humans and Prodigium, but SO not a Rowling rip-off. "Hex Hall" was an interesting place, full of complex and varied characters. Sophie is fantastic and believable and I cannot, CANNOT wait to see what happens to her next. Her love interest is smoking hot and the twist in their potential relationship is HUGE!

After the major revelation and twist at the end...what can I say? WOW. I am holding my breath until book 2 comes out.

Welcome to I Read to Relax!

Okay, after years of following other readers' blogs, I decided to try my own. Not only to get out there what I'm reading and to connect with other readers, but also to help me track what I'm reading! As the title states, I read to relax! Sometimes, I read "classics" or books that I'm reviewing for SLJ that I normally wouldn't choose for myself, but mostly these entries will be about the books that I've chosen to read in my spare time. That's going to mean a lot of sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal romance, historical romance, murder mysteries...and it will mostly be YA! If that's not your cup of tea, no problem. If it is, feel free to comment!