Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Title: Requiem
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: Hodder
Released: January 1st 2013
Pages: 391 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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The final instalment in the internationally bestselling Delirium trilogy.

It is the rule of the Wilds:
You must be bigger, and stronger, and tougher.
A coldness radiates through me, a solid wall that is growing, piece by piece, in my chest. He doesn't love me?
He never loved me.
It was all a lie.

'The old Lena is dead', I say, and then push past him. Each step is more difficult than the last; the heaviness fills me and turns my limbs to stone.

You must hurt, or be hurt.

Lena can build the walls, but what if there's no one left to take them down? The powerful, heartbreaking conclusion to one of the most eagerly awaited, talked-about series is here

*makes incomprehensible sounds* I really really really hate it when an amazing trilogy comes to an end! I was definitely avoiding reading this book - part of me wanted to simply because Pandemonium left me on such a horrid cliffhanger, but part of me didn't want to as I adore this series like crazy! However, when I found out that it had finally been published in the UK, I couldn't help but buy it and read it immediately. It took me two days to finish it, and now I just don't know what to think.

Book of the Month: September

Between July and August, I read a heck of a lot of books! I stormed through them as if 100 pages was merely 10 - most of my life was taken up by the blog. Then I started my A-Levels. Over the past few weeks, I've barely read anything (which I blame solely on Tess of the D'Urbervilles, my first English Literature required reading) However, now that I've finished Tess (yay!) I'll actually have time to - gasp! - pleasure read again!

However, despite not reading much, I still did come across some amazing books. Although I rated both Crewel and Tess of the D'Urbervilles five stars, my favourite read this month just has to be Crewel by Gennifer Albin. I love the dystopian form, but since I've read so much of it, I'm starting to see the same ideas repeated over and over again. Crewel was new and completely unique; it refreshed my love for this genre, and I cannot praise it enough. I've got my fingers crossed that the sequel, Altered, will be just as good!

Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Title: Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Author: Thomas Hardy
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Released: 1891
Pages: 592 (Hardback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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When Tess Durbeyfield is driven by family poverty to claim kinship with the wealthy D'Urbervilles and seek a portion of their family fortune, meeting her 'cousin' Alec proves to be her downfall. A very different man, Angel Clare, seems to offer her love and salvation, but Tess must choose whether to reveal her past or remain silent in the hope of a peaceful future. With its sensitive depiction of the wronged Tess and powerful criticism of social convention, Tess of the D'Urbervilles is one of the most moving and poetic of Hardy's novels.

I haven't been posting a lot on the blog lately. Why? Blame this book. I've recently started my English Literature A-Level course, and this is the first required reading book we were set. At first, I didn't think I'd enjoy it - for those of you who don't know, Victorian literature language is quite different from modern novels, and Hardy especially loves this circumlocutory style which means he can sometimes go off on tangents for ages until he actually gets to the point. Long story short, it took me a while to read. But I've finally finished it, and actually, I rather enjoyed it.

Blog Tour: By Blood by Tracy E. Banghart (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Title: By Blood
Author: Tracy E. Banghart
Released: February 18th 2013
Pages: 368 (Kindle)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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For 17-year-old Emma Wong, spending a summer in England should be a dream come true. Gorgeous scenery? Check. Lots of hot guys with accents? Yes, please. 

Throw in an estranged mom, annoying new stepdad, and drooling baby half-brother, and it’s a disaster even her favorite cherry red leather jacket can’t fix. Even worse, there’s (hot) live-in research assistant Josh to contend with. The only thing more embarrassing than   drunk-kissing him hours after they meet? Knowing he’ll be witness to her family’s dysfunction all. summer. long.

But when Emma meets a mysterious girl who happens to be a Druid, her vacation suddenly promises to be far more intriguing than she  anticipated. Powerful rituals, new friends, an intoxicating sense of freedom...and Simon, the sexy foreign stranger she was hoping for. It’s all a perfect distraction from dirty diapers and awkward family dinners.

Trouble is, intriguing doesn’t often mean simple. And Emma is about to discover just how not simple her life really is.

By Blood is a novel about the ways that blood can bind us to others – or tear us apart.

About The Author

Tracy E. Banghart is a cheesy movie–loving, fantasy football–playing (go Ravens!), globe-trotting Army wife who began “practicing” her craft at the age of five, when she wrote her first story. She loves visiting the international friends she met while pursuing her MA in Publishing and spends a portion of every summer at her family’s cabin in Canada, where she finds inspiration and lots of time to relax on the dock. She lives with her husband, son, two lazy dogs and one ornery cat. When not writing or spending time with her family, she is on a mission to bake the perfect cupcake.

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Excerpt
We reached a main street with a pink-washed pub on the corner. I paused, but Ash kept walking.
When she turned again, I had a flashback to lunch and the dim stairs leading to the Wisteria Café. Here we were at another dark passageway. Excitement shivered through me. We walked down a narrow alley between two buildings; my shoes wobbled on the cobblestones and Josh put a polite hand on my back to steady me. The path was lit by old-fashioned sconces built into the walls. Faintly, I heard voices, an occasional burst of laughter. We ducked through a low archway and the space opened before us.

Cover Reveal (#14)

I think Cass has left the best till last! The cover for The One, the last installment in The Selection trilogy, has finally - finally! - been revealed - and damn if it isn't gorgeous!

Despite the fact that this trilogy and I have a love-hate relationship, I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the covers. Actually, if I based my favourite reads not on the content but on the covers, then these three would definitely be in my top ten! Just look at how they all match up, and how incredibly pretty they are! Gah, I want it already *grabby hands*

I've got to admit, I have high hopes for The One. The previous two books were good, but I've always had difficulty both with the love triangle and with the main protagonist, America. Since the series is coming to it's climax, I've got my fingers crossed for Cass to give it all she's got and maybe give us the happily-ever-after we've all been dying. Watch this space, guys! Watch this space...

The Dollhouse Asylum by Mary Gray

Title: The Dollhouse Asylum
Author: Mary Gray
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release: October 22nd 2013
Pages: 296 (Paperback)
Pre-Order: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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A virus that had once been contained has returned, and soon no place will be left untouched by its destruction. But when Cheyenne wakes up in Elysian Fields--a subdivision cut off from the world and its monster-creating virus--she is thrilled to have a chance at survival.

At first, Elysian Fields,with its beautiful houses and manicured lawns, is perfect. Teo Richardson, the older man who stole Cheyenne's heart, built it so they could be together. But when Teo tells Cheyenne there are tests that she and seven other couples must pass to be worthy of salvation, Cheyenne begins to question the perfection of his world.

The people they were before are gone. Cheyenne is now "Persephone," and each couple has been re-named to reflect the most tragic romances ever told. Everyone is fighting to pass the test, to remain in Elysian Fields. Teo dresses them up, tells them when to move and how to act, and in order to pass the test, they must play along.

If they play it right, then they'll be safe.

But if they play it wrong, they'll die.

I feel like I have been waiting for this since forever! (Alright, it was only since April - but my point still stands!) So when I got it in the post, I literally shrieked with excitement - and I mean full-on, wave-your-hands-in-the-air excitement. Dystopian fiction has been my favourite genre for well over two years now, but despite my love for it, the same initial idea has been done over and over again, so much so that I'm getting kind of sick of it. The best thing about The Dollhouse Asylum is that Gray's idea is completely fresh - I haven't come across another book quite like it.

Blog Tour: Quantum Entanglement by Liesel K. Hill (Guest Post + Giveaway)

Title: Quantum Entanglement
Author: Liesel K. Hill
Publisher: Create Space
Released: September 17th 2013
Pages: 400 (eBook)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

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Five months after traveling to a post-apocalyptic future where collectives reign supreme and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper was returned to her own time until the threat to her life could be neutralized. She thought Marcus and the others would return for her within a few weeks, and now she’s beginning to worry. 

When travelers from the future finally show up to collect her, it’s not who she expected. With the return of her memories, she wants more than ever to see Marcus again, but a snake-like woman whose abilities are a perfect match for Maggie’s, an injured Traveler, and decades of civil unrest to wade through all stand in the way of their reunion.

Meanwhile, Marcus and Karl traipse through the countryside, trying to neutralize Colin, who’s promised to brutalize and murder Maggie if he can get his hands on her. When a collective woman is left for dead, Marcus heals her, hoping she’ll be the key to killing Colin and bringing Maggie back. But she may prove as much a hindrance as a help.

The team struggles to get their bearings, but things happen faster than they know. The collectives are coalescing, power is shifting, and the one called B is putting sinister plans into action. If the team can’t reunite and get a handle on the situation, their freedom and individuality—perhaps their very identity—will be ripped away before they can catch their breath.

Hello Wonderful Readers! I’m here to promote Quantum Entanglement, the newest book in my Interchron series. Special thanks to Nina for hosting me here today. She asked me to stop by and post about either 10 things you may not know about me or 10 things you may not know about the Interchron series. I decided to do both.

Top Ten Tuesday (#11)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish, where bloggers get together and list the top ten things related to that week's topic.

Top Ten... Top Ten Best Sequels Ever

Blog Tour: Escape from Eden by Elisa Nader (Character Spotlight + Giveaway)

Title: Escape from Eden 

Author: Elizabeth Nader

Publisher: Merit Press

Released: July 18th 2013

Pages: 272 (eBook)

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

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Since the age of ten, Mia has lived under the iron fist of the fundamentalist preacher who lured her mother away to join his fanatical family of followers. In Edenton, a supposed “Garden of Eden” deep in the South American jungle, everyone follows the Reverend’s strict but arbitrary rules—even the mandate of whom they can marry. Now sixteen, Mia dreams of slipping away from the armed guards who keep the faithful in, and the curious out. When the rebellious and sexy Gabriel, a new boy, arrives with his family, Mia sees a chance to escape.

But the scandalous secrets the two discover beyond the compound’s façade are more shocking than anything they ever imagined. While Gabriel has his own terrible secrets, he and Mia bond together, more than friends and freedom fighters. But is there time to think of each other as they race to stop the Reverend’s paranoid plan to free his flock from the corrupt world? Can two teenagers crush a criminal mastermind? And who will die in the fight to save the ones they love from a madman who’s only concerned about his own secrets?

About The Author

Hi. I’m Elisa. I like cheese and reading and TV show marathons. Writing is scary, but not as scary as, say, Civil War amputations. I’m an Aquarius. Uh… let’s see… I’m not very good at writing my own biography. Or autobiography. I guess this is reading more like a slightly incoherent personal ad.

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Character Spotlight

I effing hate Edenton. I can’t believe my parents brought me to this hell hole. Well, I can believe it, I just don’t understand it. What do they expect me to do here? Repent for my sins? What’s done is done. I can’t take back what I did, not matter how much I want to. Maybe this is my punishment?

Book Blitz: Kinetic by S. K. Anthony (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Title: Kinetic
Author: S. K. Anthony
Released: September 20thh 2013
Pages: 336 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
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Being strong is one thing. Being an unlimited source of power is quite another.

Genetically altered by the Organization, Annie Fox takes down criminals CIA-style with her luminary strength. With nothing to mend but her broken heart, she is relentlessly pursued by her boss Derek Lake. Just when Annie is about to give him a chance, her ex-husband unexpectedly comes out of hiding.

A wanted man, Nick Logan is a cold-hearted murderer who is considered enemy number one, and orders are clear: kill on contact. He is more powerful than ever and threatens the lives of those she holds most dear. His plan? Get his hands on Annie and use her Kinetic energy to destroy them all. When Annie finds herself with an opportunity to end him, she pauses, horrified by the scars covering the face she once loved. A split second that will cost her everything...

About The Author
S. K. Anthony is a writer, a reader and a make-stuff-up-er who lives in New York with her husband and toddler twins. She is a wine connoisseur, which just really means she knows she loves it, and a caffeine addict. When she isn’t busy with her family she finds herself being transported into the world of imagination. Well, either that or running away from spiders…she is convinced they are out to get her!

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Excerpt
I knew what I had to do. Orders were clear… KILL ON CONTACT.

The thing is, it was Nick.

Before I knew what I was doing, I'd released my hold. He got up and rubbed his mouth.

“What did I tell you about giving second chances?”

Blog Tour: Breaking Glass by Lisa Amowitz (Review)

About The Author

Lisa Amowitz was born in Queens and raised in the wilds of Long Island, New York where she climbed trees, thought small creatures lived under rocks and studied ant hills. And drew. A lot. When she hit her teens, she realized that Long Island was too small for her and she needed to escape. So she went to college in Pittsburgh. Go figure. On leaving college, Lisa became a graphic designer living in New York City. She eventually married her husband of a zillion years, had two lovely children, and was swept away to a fairy tale life in the Bronx, where, unbelievably there are more trees and wilderness than her hometown. She can see the Hudson River from her kitchen window. Lisa has been a professor of graphic design at her beloved Bronx Community College where she has been tormenting and cajoling students for nearly seventeen years. She started writing eight years ago because she wanted something to illustrate, but somehow, instead ended up writing YA. Probably because her mind is too dark and twisted for small children.

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Review

Title: Breaking Glass
Author: Lisa Amowitz
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Released: July 9th 2013
Pages: 297 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depository / B&N
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On the night seventeen-year-old Jeremy Glass winds up in the hospital with a broken leg and a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit, his secret crush, Susannah, disappears. When he begins receiving messages from her from beyond the grave, he's not sure whether they're real or if he's losing his grip on reality. Clue by clue, he gets closer to unraveling the mystery, and soon realizes he must discover the truth or become the next victim himself.

I finished this book well over a week ago, yet I'm only just getting around to writing this review. Why? Breaking Glass left me utterly speechless. I don't think I'll ever be able to find words accurate enough to describe just how amazing and suspenseful this book really is.

Top Ten Tuesday (#10)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish, where bloggers get together and list the top ten things related to that week's topic.

Top Ten... Top Ten Books On My Fall 2013 TBR List