Waiting on Wednesday (40)

Hey,

This week I'm waiting for...

The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: April 23, 2013

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

I adored the first book, The Immortal Rules, and I am anxiously waiting for this one to finally be available! I've also noticed the obvious cover change for the series.

Old | New

I don't think the old cover looked too bad, do you? I mean, it's not the most gorgeous out there but it's definitely interesting. The new covers have a slightly more mysterious edge to them... Which one do you prefer?

Leave a link to your WoW post in the comments below so I can check it out!

Have a great week,

Sam :D

Sweet Legacy Cover Reveal

Hello,

Today I'm very excited to share with you the UK cover of Sweet Legacy by Tera Lynn Childs, the third and final book in the Medusa trilogy.

Sweet Legacy (Medusa #3) by Tera Lynn Childs

Release Date: September 2013

Descendants of Medusa do battle with beasties in modern-day  San Francisco in this action-packed trilogy.

The concluding book in this kick-ass trilogy. Teenage descendants of Medusa, triplets Gretchen, Grace and Greer, face their toughest test yet as the mythological and the modern collide in a fast-paced urban fantasy adventure. 

About the author:

Tera Lynn Childs is an award-winning and best-selling US author of teenage fiction. She holds a degree in Theatre from the University of Colorado and a Masters degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University. Tera now spends her time blogging and writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages. Her first book with Templar Publishing, the mermaid romance Forgive My Fins, was published in 2011, with the follow-up, Fins are Forever, in 2012 and the concluding title, Just For Fins, coming in June 2013. Sweet Venom and Sweet Shadows are published in America by HarperCollins.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I know some of you guys are more used to the US covers, so let's compare them to the UK Covers.

UK Covers:

US Covers:

I think that both sets look pretty cool and you can see how they've used the same kind of colours for the background. Make sure you leave your response to the cover in the comments!

If you're not quite sure what Sweet Venom is about then you can check out my review HERE if you want to find out more about it and what I thought of it.

Enjoy your week,
Sam :D

My review of Apollyon

Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: April 9, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository


Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

*Contains spoilers for those who have not read the previous books*

Once again, Armentrout's novel is nothing short of amazing. Apollyon carries the most exciting plot of the series yet! Heart-pounding action, a series of unearthly dilemmas and a swoon-worthy romance, Apollyon is a 2013 must read!

Apollyon follows the events that happen in Elixir, the novella told from Aiden's POV. Alex is having a tough time with Seth in her head most of the time due to the bond that has formed between them from when Alex awakened. Not only is Seth's bond a bother, but the only way to end the God Killer is to travel to the Underworld and search through a billion souls to find the answer.

Just when you think Jennifer Armentrout can't possibly deliver anything more exciting... she writes a new book and amazes us all! Extreme events occur in Apollyon that will make you gasp, cry and smile until your cheeks ache. 

On the side of the kick-butt action, the Alex and Aiden relationship, also known as 'Alden' or 'Alden' (Which sounds better?), is still going strong. The two are unbearably cute and I could not hold back my jealousy. Aiden is adorable in this book. Actually, he's been adorable in all the Covenant books, but in this one he's ESPECIALLY cute! As a boyfriend, Aiden is protective like you would expect, but he is also ready to announce their relationship to the world. Then again, since there is a war around the corner, no one is really bothered about the Half-blood and Pure relationship rule. YIPEE!

We meet some new and pretty awesome characters, but also have visits from old ones. Jennifer is amazing at building up a character in such a small space of time. She is also really good at bring out more of the minor characters and letting them shine. I can't express how much I love Deacon, Aiden's brother. He simply sounds like the cutest little brother ever. I keep imagining him as a small little boy with wild, curly blonde hair and big, innocent blue eyes... when he's actually in his teenage years. Oops. But really, he is sweet inside and it shows in his actions how much he loves his brother.

And of course this wouldn't be a JLA book if there wasn't a heart-shattering cliffhanger! But don't worry, there isn't a terrible one line ending like, "And that's when Alex's head fell to the ground." It's a beautiful yet annoying ending that will force you to pre-order Sentinel right away.

There are so many things I want to praise Jennifer for! Her unique writing style, her character building techniques, her creativity and wonderful imagination... damn, this list will be long if I don't stop there. Personally as a teen, I think that if the books were promoted a bit more in other countries, like the UK for instance, a lot more people, at least teenagers, would be willing to read. That's just my opinion. The whole action packed, heart-warming romance, shocking twists and humorous characters is what plenty of teenage girls go for, right? After all, Twilight's become a success and the characters, plot and love triangle was absolutely terrible. I am pretty sure that the Covenant series will be movies one day and it will smash Twilight into the ground.

Apollyon is another incredible installment to add to the already-amazing Covenant series. I'm counting down the days to the next JLA book as we speak.

Rating

- A review copy was provided by Spencer Hill Press

Book Haul (#35)

Hey,

I hope you've all had a good week full of awesome books! For some reason, I haven't been reading as much as I used to. I think this is due to the fact that I that I have more school work, GCSE options, stress, and a better social life... Yeah, I'm finally going out instead of staying inside all day... It's a good change, I promise.

Last week I swapped some books on the UK Book Swap discussion on Goodreads and I am soooo excited to show you guys what books they are. 

Splintered by A. G. Howard - Swapped -

As soon as it was published, I knew I wanted the US hardback edition instead of the UK paperback. I don't know... I just love hardbacks, and it's such a beautiful cover as well. I started reading a few pages and I know that I'm going to love it.

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Swapped - 

I adore Jennifer L. Armentrout. I finished this book a few days ago and I am slightly disappointed that it is only a standalone novel. Not all the threads were tied and I was left feeling like there could have been a bit more because the plot has so much potential.

Neferet's Curse (House of Night Novellas #3) by P.C Cast and Kristin Cast - Received - 

Thank you, St Martin's Press! This book was a complete surprise. I did not expect it at all. Not in a billion years. I tried reading the House of Night series but by the fourth book, Untamed, I just had to give up. They didn't really interest me. I'll try reading this but I'll probably give it away.

Leave a link to your book haul in the comments below and I'll check it out!

Enjoy your books,

Sam :D

Waiting on Wednesday (39)

Hey,

This week I'm waiting for...

How I Lost You by Janet Gurtler

Release Date: May 1, 2013

Grace and Kya always do everything together, and nothing can get in the way of their friendship. They have a pact: Sisters Before Misters. Buds Before Studs.

Only Grace knows what Kya's been through, or how much she needs someone to stick by her. No Matter What. Besides, Kya keeps life exciting-pulling Grace into things she'd never dare do on her own. 

But inch by inch, daring is starting to turn dangerous. And Grace will have to decide how far she can go to save her friendship with Kya...before she ends up losing everything else.

This book certainly sounds interesting! I also really need to reed Janet's Who I Kissed because it sounds amazing. Her books all have adorable covers:

Leave a link to your WoW post in the comments and I'll check it out!

Have a great week,

Sam :D

My review of Requiem

Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver
Release Date: March 21, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository


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.

**If you have not read Delirium or Pandemonium please don't read this unless you want to spoil the story for yourself**

Requiem is the breath-taking and highly anticipated conclusion to the Delirium trilogy. We venture one last time into a world where love is a disease and something to be avoided. We also meet new characters, but lose old ones, too. Readers will not be expecting the twists and shocking truths that Requiem contains. Hold on to your seat, grip Requiem tight, and prepare yourself to be whisked away by Lauren Oliver's flawless writing.

Lena is in the Wilds where she is free to love and free to make her own choices. But her heart was torn when Alex reappeared and complicated her relationship with Julian. Now she does not know how to feel or what to do. One thing she is sure of is that Alex hates her. He can't bear the sight of her or stay anywhere near her; he's not the Alex she once knew. Then again, she isn't the same Lena that first ran into the Wilds. She is stronger; physically and mentally. She is ready to fight. And no one will make her lose sight of that.

I fell in love with the characters, the plot, and Oliver's writing style from the moment I started reading Delirium. Lena and Alex grew on me from the beginning, and now in the final book, it pains me to let them go. I've watched them grow from being shy, innocent and completely oblivious to the world, into two really strong and daring people who are willing to stand for what they believe in. 

Of course, like everyone else, I wanted this book in my hands as soon as possible after the big bombshell that was dropped at the end of Pandemonium, but I was also desperate to find out how Lena would get around two boys: one that she's loved since the beginning, and the one that she thought she was slowly falling for. I know some of you guys out there really despise love-triangles, but Oliver manages to make it bearable and extremely interesting. Not to mention the fact that she wraps it up very well.

Alex or Julian? That is the ultimate question. Though it's not as simple as, "Lena, just go back to Alex, you love him, right?" It's not simple because Alex is not the same. Nope, he's not the smiley, happy Alex anymore. At first I found this absolutely heart-breaking because Alex is one of my most favourite characters ever, and for his personality to change completely was just devastating. He doesn't smile, he gives short answers and he can barely look at Lena. And you know what makes things worse? A girl shows up and shows an interest in Alex! I wanted to kill her and I'm sure you will, too.

Enough of death threats. Lauren Oliver delivers a satisfying ending that might not be enough for most readers, like me, who wanted the perfect: Lena ends up with *insert boy of choice* and they ride of into the sunset and don't look back and they live happily ever after with their 12 children. Nope, not that type of ending. The ending leaves you thinking of what is to come, but also gives time for you to go over your whole journey with the characters before breaking down in tears realising that there isn't going to be another book. 

Overall, Requiem was perfect. How could I say anything other than that? It had the action to keep us hooked, drops of humor to keep us smiling, and the romance to keep us guessing. Not only that, but we also get a glimpse into Hana's head because the book alternates between her POV and Lena's. Pretty awesome, I know. It also contains some extraordinary secrets that will probably just shock you off your chair. Yep, that good. 

The Delirium trilogy has been a wonderful roller coaster full of emotion and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the books and the journey it has taken me on. I hope that Lauren Oliver carries on writing unique and beautiful sets of books because I am craving to read about another original and crazy world (with more boys like Alex, of course).

Rating

A review copy was provided by Hodder & Stoughton 

Book Haul (#34)

Hey,

IT'S FINALLY HALF-TERM! WOOOO! A week and a bit to just relax and sleep. *Content sigh* I hope you all had an interesting Valentines day, too. (:

This week I bought a few books from The Works:

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle - Bought -

I've been eyeing this one since January last year! I am ECSTATIC to finally be reading it. :D I've heard some mixed things but I'm prepared for this romantic contemporary! 

The Hunt (The Hunt #1) by Andrew Fukuda - Bought -

There have been plenty of good things said about this book and I thought, why not? 

Deadly Hemlock (Hemlock #1) by Kathleen Peacock - Bought -

I've already read and reviewed this one, but that was when I borrowed a copy from the library. I saw this one in the shop and just HAD to have it. This book is amazing, read my review HERE!

That's my haul for this week! Leave a link to your book haul/stacking the shelves/letterbox love/in my mailbox post in the comments and I will check it out.

Enjoy your books,

Sam :D

Recent Posts:

Review - Blood Prophecy by Alyxandra Harvey

Review - Arcadia Awakens by Kai Meyer

Warm Bodies 

Waiting on Wednesday - Monument 14: Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne 

For the Love of Swoon Giveaway

Cover Reveals

Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris (And Others)

Hey,

I wanted to show you all the UK for Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris, the sequel to Unravelling. It is really amazing and if you want to read my review then you can check it out HERE!

Unbreakable (Unravelling #2) by Elizabeth Norris

Release Date: June 6, 2013

Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but civilisation is slowly rebuilding, and life is finally starting to resume some kind of normality. Until Interverse agent Taylor Barclay shows up. He’s got a problem, and he needs Janelle’s help. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring – kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths. And Ben, with his unique abilities, is the prime suspect. To make things worse, Janelle learns that someone she cares about – someone from her own world – has become one of the missing.

Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?

Sigh <3 It's Ben on the cover this time!! WOOO! Though this is the UK cover and I thought: why not compare the US and the UK covers?

US Covers:

UK Covers:

I think they are both good in their own ways. The US covers look more action-like, while the UK covers look a bit more mysterious. Nevertheless, both sets are appealing and look great on shelves so no complaining from me! I'm really hyped to see the last cover now!!

I know that not all people like to check out the foreign covers of a book, but I thought that it'd be pretty cool to show you anyways. (;

While we're all here and speaking of covers, here are some absolutely stunning covers that I found from scrolling through Goodreads.

Thornhill (Hemlock #2) by Kathleen Peacock - September 10, 2013

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White - September 10, 2013

Deception (Defiance #2) by C. J. Redwine - August 27, 2013
Eternity (The Furies #3) by Elizabeth Miles - September 3, 2013

Have you seen any new covers? Leave the name of the book in the comments!

Have a good week,
Sam :D

My review of Arcadia Awakens

Arcadia Awakens (Arkadien #1) by Kai Meyer
Release Date: March 1, 2012
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository


To New Yorker Rosa Alcantara, the exotic world of Sicily, with its network of Mafia families and its reputation for murder and intrigue, is just that--exotic, and wholly unknown. But when tragedy strikes, she must travel there, to her family's ancestral home, where her sister and aunt have built their lives and where centuries of family secrets await her. Once there, Rosa wastes no time falling head over heels for Alessandro Carnevare, the son of a Sicilian Mafia family, whose handsome looks and savage grace both intrigue and unsettle her. But their families are sworn enemies, and her aunt and sister believe Alessandro is only using Rosa to infiltrate the Alcantara clan. And when Rosa encounters a tiger one night--a tiger with very familiar eyes--she can no longer deny that neither the Carnevares nor the Alcantaras are what they seem.

Ancient myths brought to life in the Sicilian countryside, dangerous beasts roaming the hills, and a long history of familial bloodlust prove to Rosa that she can't trust anyone--not even her own family. Torn between loyalty to her aunt and love for her family's mortal enemy, Rosa must make the hardest decision of her life: stay in Sicily with her new love . . . or run as far and as fast as she can.

Arcadia Awakens is the first enticing book in the Arkadien trilogy. It's an imaginative and thoughtful novel set in a gorgeous town in Italy. We follow Rosa as she discovers more about her heritage and family secrets, but also falling for the forbidden Alessandro. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book! 

Rosa moves to Italy after a devastating occurs in her life in New York. She goes to live with her sister when she finds out more about her heritage and the big secret that she has been sheltered from. And then Rosa witnesses a snake and a tiger in battle, but the tiger has very familiar eyes.  Not only that, but she meets Alessandro, a boy from the Carnevares family, sworn enemies of the Alcantaras, Rosa's family. Together they uncover secrets that were not meant to be disturbed.

What I loved most about Arcadia Awakens has to be the overall idea of the book. I liked the idea of two families hating each other for an unspoken reason, it built up a lot of tension. And the whole love story? It was cute, but I didn't fall for it as much as I thought I would. I felt like the main character Rosa was a little cold and hard to relate to. Most of the time she just annoyed me because her actions were unjustified.

Though for a lot of the time I was just confused. I wasn't quite sure of what was going on and I wasn't quite sure why, either. Nevertheless, I'm prepared to give the sequel a go because I am interested in seeing how Rosa and Alessandro end up... yeah, the love story is just too cute to miss.

If you like paranormal thrillers with a topping of romance then this should be right up your street. Look out for the sequel, Arcadia Burns.

Rating

- A review copy was provided by Templar Publishing

Warm Bodies

Hello!

Today I thought I'd do something a bit different. Last Saturday, I went to Warm Bodies with some friends and IT WAS AMAZING! So, I thought, "Why not share it with the world?" and that's exactly what I'm going to do in this post. Prepare for my rant!

If you've seen it then you might have loved it or hated it, let me know why in the comments! I would love to know that I'm not the only raving about this movie.

Warm Bodies is a horror/comedy/romance. It is rated a 12, which means it's not that scary! Also, it is a book that was published back in 2010 and was written by Isaac Marion. Check it out if you prefer to read the book before the movie.

The book/film is based on the story of Romeo and Juliet, except twisted... with zombies and evil undead things. It's pretty cute and really deserves a chance. Watch the trailer below if you want a better summary:

Before we proceed with this rant, can I just point out this line:

Say something human "ehhhhhhegggg" Nailed it.

Did you laugh? Come on, how could you not have at least giggled inside?! The movie is HILARIOUS! The casting people did a good job picking Nicholas Hoult... he's like the perfect zombie. The way he acted, spoke, stood... damn, it was just all perfect. I don't think I could have picked a better actor to act as a zombie. I am going to be watching many more movies starring Nicholas Hoult. 

*Did you know that Nicholas went out with Jennifer Lawrence, but they split-up in January?*


I can't express how much I loved the fact that the comedy worked so well with the romance and horror. It's a dream come true... Not only was I laughing, I also jumped in my chair a few times and swooned way too much. When you see the movie and see just how sweet our zombie "R" is you will instantly fall in love with him. 

You would think that a zombie is merciless and emotionless, but also extremely boring; and that's how they are portrayed at the start. But then there is a massive turning point when R (zombies cannot remember their names, but R knows that it begins with an R so that's what he calls himself) saves a human girl from being eaten. Who knows why? He just sees her and something in him changes. He then protects her and lets her stay in his home, which is an airplane... pretty cool. From there, they slowly fall for each other and it's simply the cutest thing. :O

"If the movie is full of comedy and romance then how is it scary?" I hear you ask. Well, what certainly scared me were the "Bonies", which are basically dead-dead zombies. Zombies that have given up on life and cannot take anymore. The Bonies will eat anything with a heart beat, like a zombie, but they show no mercy. The zombies are not really afraid of Bonies because they know that the Bonies will not eat them because they no longer have a heart beat.

"But how do Bonies look different from Zombies?" Good question. Simply look below, the first picture is of R the zombie and the second picture is a Bony...

You see the difference? :) I hope so. Do you know what the Bony reminds me of? THE DEMENTORS FROM HARRY POTTER!! :D There is a slight resemblance, don't cha think? They both go round eating people/souls, they look dead and are dark colours...

Moving away from characters, the plot is absolutely incredible! I must admit, I did predict some things that occurred during the film, but I'm not that bothered since the movie was overall brilliant and very enjoyable. I loved so much of it. I need the the DVD so I can watch it over and over and over again. ^.^

Since I am completely and utterly obsessed with this movie, I did some searching for posters and found some really cool ones... LOOK AT HOW ADORABLE THEY ARE:

My favourite one has definitely got to be "Love Means Never Having To Say You're Undead." Which is yours? 

So, guys, have I swayed you to watch this yet? Let me know in the comments.

Enjoy your Valentines day,
Sam :D

For the Love of Swoon Giveaway Hop

Hello there,

This giveaway is hosted by The Book Hookup and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

For this giveaway, I am offering one of the books from the list below, which all contain a swoon-worthy boys.(; This giveaway is international as long as The Book Depository ships to you.

Aiden from the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout:

Daemon from the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout:

Noah from the Mara Dyer trilogy by Michelle Hodkin:

Galen from Of Poseidon by Anna Banks:

Jase from My Life Next Door by Huntsley Fitzpatrick:

Alex from the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver:

Noah from Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry:

Fill out the rafflecopter below:

****CLOSED*****
Winner: Marina P.
Reply to my email ASAP!

Have a good week,

Sam :D