BOOK NEWS: Lover Reborn preview ~ Spoilers

*assumes properly decorous blogger demeanor*

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Saturday for some BOOK NEWS!!

This post does contain SPOILERS.


I'm sure the entire planet heard my squeeeing earlier this afternoon. Those of you who follow my personal twitter account know that it was related to my #BookJunkie ways. *bounces in seat, causing great difficulty with typing this post*

It is Black Dagger Brotherhood series related. Specifically... *quivers with excitement, breathes in paper bag to prevent hyperventilating* Lover Reborn news!!!

*pauses to allow for follower squeeing*

I learned that the first four chapters of Lover Reborn are available on Shelfari.com!!!

*listens to thuds from around the world as followers faint from excitement*

Follow THIS link to the Shelfari.com page and click on the 'read first chapter free' button under the book cover image to read the available chapters.

*lowers paper bag*

I've been VERY vocal in my displeasure with Tohr getting a book so soon. *completely ignores the fact that it has been six books and six years since the events in Lover Awakened* I personally don't know that I'm ready for Tohr's story, or to see him with anyone other than Wellsie. But, #BookJunkie and #BDBAddict that I am I read the dang chapters as soon as I learned about them. *clears throat, makes shifty eyes, mumbles* Twice. And I have to say, if the rest of the book continues the tone set by these chapters, then I have hope that Tohrment will get the book he deserves.

WARNING: Read these chapters at your own risk! Doing so will only exacerbate your desire to have Lover Reborn in your hands RIGHT NOW! #TrueFact

That's all I got, BtCers. I hope any who read it enjoy the preview... and all the new questions it will raise! *laughs*

Leave a comment telling me what you think of the glimpse we get into Lover Reborn, and what you're most excited, worried, curious or downright ticked about.

~ Louise

REVIEW: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Genre: Young Adult, YA Paranormal Romance

Pages: 452 pages (hardcover)

Publication: September 2011

(Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing)

Goodreads Summary: Seventeen-year-old Mara cannot remember the accident that took the lives of three of her friends but, after moving from Rhode Island to Florida, finding love with Noah, and more deaths, she realizes uncovering something buried in her memory might save her family and her future.

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Review: If you lost the memory of the most tragic event of your life, would you want to remember or would you want to leave it forgotten? What if it haunted your life, consumed your every waking moment? For Mara Dyer remembering is all that she wants, because if she can remember the night that haunts her then maybe she can live a normal life again.

Mara Dyer was a typical girl: she liked hanging out with her friends, living her life and going to school. She was normal until she woke up in the hospital with no recollection of the accident she had been in, no memory of her friends deaths, and unable to recall the events leading up to accident. Mara wants to start over, so her family uproots itself and moves to Florida in hopes that it will help Mara get past everything.

But starting over isn’t always easy. Mara is haunted by the tragedy of her friends death, by strange accidents that happen around her, and her attraction to a boy who isn’t exactly what he seems. Mara hopes that her memories will help piece everything together and not just prove that she truly is crazy.

I actually had no expectations with The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. I had heard all the buzz about it, but never any solid info about the plot. I ended up devouring the book, I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the subtle paranormal aspect, as well as the mystery within the novel. Mara was a very well developed character. I felt that she was an actual person and really felt for her with her emotional struggles. I had a little problem with the secondary characters, mainly Mara’s family. They were a little flat and they gave in to Mara a little to easily when she wanted to move. The romance aspect was very well done. It was easy and not too over the top like some young adult novels.

This was a very well written debut. I think that the author, Michelle Hodkin, has a very promising career and after reading this first book I think that people will be picking up whatever she publishes next. I know I will.

Rating: 4 stars

REVIEW: The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

Genre: Young Adult, YA Dystopian, YA Fantasy

Pages: 390 pages (hardcover)

Publication: August 2011

(Aladdin)

Goodreads Summary: Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths.

Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, however, Alex discovers a stunning secret—behind the mirage of the "death farm" there is instead a place called Artime.

In Artime, each child is taught to cultivate their creative abilities and learn how to use them magically, weaving spells through paintbrushes and musical instruments. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it's a wondrous transformation.

But it's a rare, unique occurence for twins to be separated between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron's bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artime that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle.

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Review: I picked up The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann because of the cover tag line which said it was for fans of The Hunger Games and Harry Potter. Being a huge fan of both series, I had to see if it was able to fulfill that bold statement. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, as I could not put the book down. I was hooked, pulled into this dystopian magical world.

The story centers on Alex, a thirteen-year-old boy. He and his twin brother, Aaron, are citizens of Quill, a colorless, creative void of a town. At the age of thirteen children are sorted into their roles in the society. Alex is deemed an Unwanted, and Unwanteds are purged from society, sent to their deaths. Alex learns that for years the Unwanteds have been saved and taken to a magical creative land called Artime. Artime is led by Mr. Today, and he is training the Unwanteds in creative magical art defense so that if the people of Quill ever discover that the Unwanteds are still alive the Unwanteds can defend themselves. Alex misses his brother and is sure that them being twins means that Aaron must also be a Unwanted. Hellbent on bringing Aaron to Artime, Alex starts a chain of events that will likely change Artime and Quill forever.

I am happy to say that there are elements of both Harry Potter and the Hunger Games in this book. There is a magical world that Alex is part of, but had no idea existed, just like Harry and there is a sorting that puts children to there death that is semi reminiscent of the reaping in the Hunger Games, but that is where the similarities stop. The Unwanteds stands on its own with a unique storyline, and the author created an interesting new world, a magical world influenced by creative arts. Music can stun and paintings can kill in the land of Artime, and Lisa weaves a tale that brings these things visually to life.

The only problem I had with this book was the simplicity of it, and I can look past that because this book was aimed at the upper middle grade market. I will say that despite the simplicity of it, older youth and adults alike will enjoy this fantasy tale. Overall, I was totally smitten with this book, and I am looking forward to subsequent titles to come in this new series.

Rating: 4 stars

Teaser Tuesday (55)

We're very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate you:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

And here is this week's teaser:



"You've been with us for three weeks- this is your tenth dead child. It's my nine hundred eighty-second."

She paused, her silence dragging on longer than Kira expected.

"You've just got to learn to move on."



Location 53 or 1% (eGalley) of Partials by Dan Wells
Please leave a comment letting us know what you think! Also, tell us your teasers... post them or link to your blog.

Week in Review (7)

Life is crazy. People get busy. And you don't always have time to swing by your favorite blog *coughs* Between the Covers *coughs* even though you desperately want to. So, every Saturday (or most Saturdays) I will post a recap of the week's posts... just in case you managed to miss something despite the spamming I do retweeting the links on Twitter. *SNORT*

This week on BtC...
GUEST POST: Character Love Letters ~ Zsadist

REVIEW: Dreaming of Beauty by Kristen White

REVIEW: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

So there you have it... your one stop shop for this weeks posts!

REVIEW: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars
by John Green

Genre: Young Adult, YA Contemporary, YA Romance

Pages: 318 pages (hardcover)

Publication: January 2012

(Dutton Juvenile)

Goodreads Summary: Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

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Review: Reviewing a book that is basically on every blogger’s TBR pile can be a bit intimidating. Especially when it’s a John Green book. I have read most of John’s books and to be truthful the main reason I pre-ordered The Fault in Our Stars (TFiOS) was that every pre-order would be a signed edition. I have to say that while I was not fully a Nerd Fighter (the pop culture name John Green fans are known by) before reading TFiOS, you can rest assured that after having read it, I am convinced of the awesomeness that is John Green.

Hazel has Stage IV thyroid cancer which she has been living with, and preparing to die from, since the age of 12. However, at the age of 14 the tumors had miraculously shrunk, extending her life. Now 16-years-old, Hazel considers herself a grenade: she sees her life as a ticking bomb which will eventually detonate and hurt the ones she loves. Hazel is distant and depressed, so her mother forces her to attend a cancer support group for teens. That is where Hazel meets Augustus. Gus is a handsome and confident cancer survivor who lost one of his legs to his battle with the disease. Hazel and Gus instantly connect, but Hazel struggles to let herself get close.

So, this novel is going to be a little harder to review than most. I do not want to give anything away for those of you have not read it yet. (By the way, what are you waiting for?!?) John is known for is amazing contemporary writing style and TFiOS is no exception. TFiOS takes the subject of cancer and shows the plethora of emotions inside a person living with it - emotions which range from funny, to sad, to angry. He takes a hard hitting subject and softens it a bit with a quirkiness that is amazing.

The characters in TFiOS were absolutely fantastically written. Hazel is nothing like your typical female protagonist: she is smart, witty and down to earth. She was a breath of fresh air. I have never connected or understood a female character better than Hazel; I wanted to know her in real life. The supporting characters were also amazing, and her mother was perfectly written. I felt like he nailed the mother of a child with stage IV cancer dead on: the doting mom who is kind of suffocating, but has these layers that you don’t fully see because she isn’t ready to show you.

The relationship aspect of this book was spot on for me, as well. I loved that Hazel wasn’t instantly madly in love with Gus. It was a slow process of growing feelings. I get annoyed when a person looks at a love interest and instantly has this undying love and longing. This felt real, I could see the inner cogs turn inside her head and watched her come to the realization that there was something more.

TFiOS is a fantastic book; it may even be a contender in my favorites of 2012. I laughed, I cried (oh yes, this book will tug on your heart strings more than once). It had some twists that I didn’t see coming right away. John defiantly strayed from what I originally envisioned from the first chapters, but most importantly it was balanced. The heaviness and the quirkiness were in check and made this book awesome. If you have yet to pick up this amazing book, go do it. Seriously what are you waiting for?!? You will not regret it.

Rating: 5 stars

REVIEW: Dreaming of Beauty by Kristen White

Dreaming of Beauty by Kristen White

Genre: Young Adult, YA Fantasy

Pages: (ebook)

Publication: August 2011

Goodreads Summary: A three hundred year old curse, a timeless legend, a love strong enough to last forever...

Fifteen year old Chloe Duncan finally has her Prince Charming and her life could not be more perfect. But after she meets a mysterious new boy, Logan Salinger, on the first day of school and is attacked by a woman's hand that suddenly appears from the supply cabinet in art class, her story-book romance quickly unravels. Certain that the incident in her art class and the other bizarre things that have happened to her are due to an undiagnosed brain tumor, Chloe struggles with school and her relationships. Over the holiday break, during a much needed vacation, she travels to France with her family and it is there, at Manoir de Kergrec'h, the enchanting castle by the sea, that she learns about Camille Deveraux who lived at the manor over three hundred years ago. But things are stranger in France then they were back home, and Chloe soon discovers that she was Camille Deveraux, the real Sleeping Beauty. Now she knows the reason for her strange connection to Logan and she hopes that their love can finally break the curse that has plagued her for over three hundred years.

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Review: I usually enjoy modern day versions of fairy tales. I love to see something classic and everlasting be retold or imagined in new and inventive ways. Unfortunately, Dreaming of Beauty by Kristen White fell flat and disappointed me.

Chloe is 15 and has the seemingly perfect life. She is a good daughter who hardly gets into any trouble, has a great group of friends, and has the perfect prince charming in her boyfriend, Evan. All of that is thought to be true until Logan, the new boy in school, enters Chloe’s life. And then everything she thought she knew is shattered. Chloe starts to get agonizing headaches, sees red spots in her vision, and hears piercing sounds whenever she is around Logan. Her emotions are getting out of check and she can’t decide if she wants her perfect boyfriend, Evan, or the dark, mysterious semi-stalker, Logan. All she can hope is that she can find her happily ever after.

I really wanted to like this book, I truly did. But I found myself just wishing it would end. Despite that, there were things that I did like about Dreaming of Beauty. I like the idea behind this story. Kristen White takes the well known tale of Sleeping Beauty and attempts to give it an alternate ending, allowing her to weave her tale and have it make sense in her timeline. Although she did not execute it smoothly, the idea behind the story was very intriguing and ultimately it is what kept me reading, even when I wanted to abandon the story.

However, there were more things that I disliked about the book. To start with, the pacing was problematic; the book never felt like it found its footing. The story felt rushed, and under worked. I never lost myself in the story because I continually had to stop and think just to figure out what was going on. Also, the book was split into three parts, and while normally I do not mind this, with Dream of Beauty each part felt like it was a brand new story and we were starting all over again. Everything felt off, and the main part of the story felt convoluted and rushed, with only a dream sequence to make the story come together.

My next major disappointment were the characters; they never developed and were one dimensional. I like to feel for the characters when I read a book; I want to be able to visualize them, and feel like they could be alive and breathing. With Chloe and her two love interests, I never felt for them. I got glimpses of their development, but I think with the pacing and organization of the book, it never happened. Throughout the whole book they never felt like anything other than people written on the page.

Ultimately, Dreaming of Beauty did not work for me. I had to force myself to finish. But I am a firm believer that even though I did not enjoy this book, that does not mean that someone else may not love it. That’s the joy of reading.

Rating: 2 stars

GUEST POST: Character Love Letters ~ Zsadist

Hey, BtCers... I'm over at Vampire Book Club today celebrating Valentine's Day with my love letter to Zsadist as part of the Character Love Letters feature!!

Come check out my post and learn why I fell in love with Zsadist.

While over at Vampire Book Club, be sure to check out the other posts in the Character Love Letters feature:

Love letter to Zane (Jill Myles’ Succubus Diaries)
by Jen (@Twimom227) at That's What I'm Talking About... with Twimom227

Love letter to Rehvenge (J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood) by Kelly (@soulswallo) at Reading the Paranormal

Love letter to Bran (Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega) by Mandi (@smexybooks) at Smexy Books

Xan’s love letter to Donna (Karen Mahoney's Iron Witch series) by Karen Mahoney (@kazmahoney)

Love letter to Vishous (J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood) by Synde (@psynde) at Tombstone Trails

Love letter to barrons (Karen Marie Moning's Fever series) by Bells (@Bellie7) at Hanging With Bells

Giveaway: Write your own Character Love Letter

Please be sure to leave a comment over at Vampire Book Club... and here, too... letting me know what you think about my surely soon to no longer be unrequited love of Zsadist!

Week in Review (6)

Life is crazy. People get busy. And you don't always have time to swing by your favorite blog *coughs* Between the Covers *coughs* even though you desperately want to. So, every Saturday (or most Saturdays) I will post a recap of the week's posts... just in case you managed to miss something despite the spamming I do retweeting the links on Twitter. *SNORT*

This week on BtC...
Teaser Tuesday (54)

REVIEW: Working Stiff by Rachel Caine

REVIEW: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Limelight Reviews (10)

So there you have it... your one stop shop for this weeks posts!

Limelight Reviews (10)

Welcome book bloggers, to the newly renovated Limelight Reviews meme! Limelight Reviews was created by Kyla at Kyla Novelista in response to a shared desire to garner meaningful comments on the reviews we spend hours sweating over, getting just right. And then...

*CRICKETS*

Enter the Limelight Review meme.

*cue wild follower applause for this brilliant and even more brilliant idea*

The meme will go live every Friday. That gives you all an entire week... SEVEN (7) WHOLE DAYS... to pop over to three (3) blogs, read their reviews and leave your MEANINGFUL, WELL THOUGHT OUT comments. Bloggers please be aware that not everyone has read the book you reviewed. If your review contains spoilers, please tell us!

HOW DO YOU PLAY?

* You are not required to follow anyone -- including me, however, if you like the content of another blog, this is a great way to build meaningful connections.

* You will use the Mr. Linky at the bottom of each week's post to enter your review information and link.

* Please only enter one (1) review per week. I realize some of you post multiple reviews per week (or day), but for this meme, we are limiting each blog to one (1) entry per week.

* You need to post the link for the actual review not just your blog address, so people don't have to search for the review.

* Visit the SPOTLIGHTED REVIEW and two (2) other reviews from the list below and leave meaningful comments... the types of comments you want left on your blog... on each of the three (3) reviews.

* You MUST comment on the SPOTLIGHTED REVIEW and two (2) other reviews from the list below and leave meaningful comments on each of the three (3) reviews.

* You do NOT need to hop back to blogs that comment on your review; however, you may if you desire.

Please fill out the form in THIS POST if you'd like to submit a review to be featured in Limelight Reviews.

Okay... now that you know Da Rulz and how to participate...

This week's featured review is from Bea at Bea's Book Nook.

Lovesick by Spencer Seidel
Goodreads info:
Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
376 pages (paperback)
Publication: June 2012
(PublishingWorks, Inc.)

Now for your reviews... To help us all gravitate towards book reviews that we'd find interesting, please post THIS information in the YOUR NAME field of Linky below in the following format:

Book title, author (genre) -- Your name

Example: Lola and the Boy Next Door, Stephanie Perkins (YA, YA Contemporary Romance) -- Chris @ Between the Covers

Then post the link to your REVIEW in the YOUR URL field of the Linky.

Example: http://www.betweenthecoversblog.net/2011/11/review-lola-and-boy-next-door-by_08.html



That's it! Now... go make meaningful, tear jerking, awe inspiring comments on your fellow bloggers reviews!

Thanks for stopping by, and feel free to let me know if you have any suggestions for how we can make LLR better!