Hades by Alexandra Adornetto: Giveaway + Trailer Posted by Tiffany at 8:30 PM

Title: Hades (Facebook)
Author: Alexandra Adornetto
Publisher: Macmillan
Synopsis: Heaven Help Her.

Bethany Church is an angel sent to Earth to keep dark forces at bay. Falling in love was never part of her mission, but the bond between Beth and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier Woods, is undeniably strong. But even Xavier’s love, and the care of her archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can’t keep Beth from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, the demon Jake Thorn bargains for Beth’s release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly, her loved ones, as well.

The story that Alexandra Adornetto built in her New York Times-bestselling debut, Halo, comes alive in action-packed and unexpected ways, as angels battle demons, and the power of love is put to the test. (Goodreads)

Giveaway!

This giveaway will end on September 12th. It is open to US & International (as long as Book Depo delivers to you). The publisher will only ship to the US and Canada, so if an international reader wins I'll be sending them a copy from Book Depo, meaning that a US winner will still get a copy from the publisher. You don't have to follow, just have an email address. Good luck!

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly: Review Posted by Tiffany at 7:03 AM

Title: Angel Burn (Angel in the UK)

Author: L.A. Weatherly (site)

Published: March 31st, 2011 by Candlewick

Pages: 464

Buy: Amazon / Book Depository 

Rating: 3/5

Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself does. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he's one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed romantic trilogy, L. A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill ride of a road trip — and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful. (Goodreads)


Review: I love the world that this series is set in. Angels are really soul-sucking monsters that kill people. The worst part is that the victims enjoy the experience. They remember it as an otherworldly encounter with a being full of light, kindness, and grace. Even when they begin to develop cancer or lung disease, or any of the other horrific results called Angel Burn, they never suspect the angels. In fact, they have a huge following, tons of churches and members that worship (and feed) them. The scariest part? I can see this happening. Against these hordes of soul-sucking fiends and their crazed followers, we have one psychic and one assassin (both teenagers). This sounds like the setup for a truly amazing series. The first half of the book, where our characters meet and join forces, was amazing. Both Willow and Alex are believable, likable characters. Their adventures were exciting, the danger real, and the outcome never certain. I loved it. Then there came a huge section of book all about these two living in seclusion, just being together and being in love. This section of the story didn't just drag, it destroyed. By the time they left, I was so annoyed with them that I didn't care if they lived or not. The cheese factor was through the roof, which is okay in small doses, but this felt like a full third of the book. Falling in love while on the run is fantastic. Falling in love while on the run and then stopping for a year to just sit and enjoy being in love is dull. This section of the book should have been cut at least in half. I know it seems like I'm making a big deal out of a little thing, but I can't tell you how much this disrupted to whole story for me. I was loving this book and then suddenly it had fallen flat for me. Maybe this won't affect you as much as it did me, so I do suggest giving it a try. The beginning was amazing. Just be ready for the action to come to a complete stop for a while in the middle.

P.S. As of right now, the kindle version of this book is only $3.49! 

Mercy by Rebecca Lim: Review Posted by Tiffany at 12:39 PM

Title: Mercy

Author: Rebecca Lim 

Published: October 28, 2010 by HarperCollins 

Pages: 281

Buy: Amazon / Book Depository 

Series: Mercy #1

Rating: 5/5

Source: NetGalley

Synopsis:Mercy doesn't realise it yet, but as she journeys into the darkest places of the human soul, she discovers that she is one of the celestial host exiled with fallen angel, Lucifer. Now she must atone for taking his side. To find her own way back to heaven, Mercy must help a series of humans in crisis and keep the unwary from getting caught up in the games that angels play. Ultimately she must choose between her immortal companion, Lucifer, and a human boy who risks everything for her love. (Goodreads)


Review: I would never have picked this one up if I hadn't read a bunch of glowing reviews. The whole angel genre kind of turns me off and the cover for the NetGalley edition had a girl with wings on the front (the blue cover with the floating girl is so so SO much better). Also, if they hadn't mentioned angels I wouldn't have been sure until the end of the book. Mercy doesn't read like the story of a fallen angel looking for redemption (which is what I expected). It had much more of a body-snatcher vibe. I was reminded of Infinite Days by the main character's personality and reaction to her situation, reminded of Host by the situation itself. This is not a sugary-sweet angel we're talking about here. "Mercy" knows only that she keeps taking over people's bodies randomly, remembering nothing of who she was originally or how she became a body snatcher. She just wakes up in someone else's body and tries desperately to figure out who she is, where she is, and how she is supposed to react to those around her. It's very interesting watching her try not to tip off those around her. I loved this book! The whole thing was so mysterious, suspenseful, and creepy. She has no idea who she is, mysterious men are appearing to her with contradictory orders, and the body she is occupying is supposed to be an extraordinarily talented soprano. She has a lot on her plate here. The answers to who she is, how she got this way, and how she can become a real person again are not answered. They are hinted at, enough that I think I might know what's going on, but nothing is given away. I'm looking forward to finishing this amazing series. Please, publisher, tone down the angel marketing! This series is so much more than an Angel Story.

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton: Review Posted by Tiffany at 7:30 AM

Title: Angelfire
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton (site)
Will Be Published: Feb 15th, 2011 by HarperCollins/ Katherine Tegen Books 
Pages: 464
Preorder: $12.14 Amazon $13.49 Book Depository
Series: Angelfire #1
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul. 

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember. (Goodreads)


Initial Thoughts: I'm a bit wary when it comes to angel stories. They usually end up being pretty cheesy. However, angels battling reapers sounds pretty awesome. The gorgeous cover certainly helped to grab my attention as well.


Review: This book was wonderful. I loved the witty, tough main character. Ellie spends more time kicking a** than swooning over boys, which makes for an exciting, action-packed read. Her exploits don't fly under the radar, either. Her family and friends notice that something's going on, especially when she goes flying through a sliding glass door in front of everyone (favorite scene!). She has to struggle to keep her new nightlife from interfering with her normal life. Her background is only outlined in this first novel, there are still plenty of questions left in my mind about what exactly is going on. The romance with Will was almost more of a battle than a wooing. You get glimpses of the devotion he feels towards her, but he doesn't bend over backwards to please her at every turn. I love that it wasn't a love-at-first-sight kind of story. I can't wait to read more about their past. There were brief flashbacks in the story, but Ellie isn't retrieving her memories as quickly as she should be. What she does remember only makes her (and me) more desperate to remember the rest. It looks like there were some huge events that Will wasn't there for. This was a very fast, exciting read. I'm dying to read the next book!


Quick Review: Angelfire was a fast read with plenty of action, a sassy main character, and a unique take on the popular angel theme.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand: Review Posted by Tiffany at 2:56 PM

Title: Unearthly
Author: Cynthia Hand (site)
Published: Jan 4th, 2011 by HarperTeen
Pages: 435
Price:  $10.49 Book Depository $10.52 Amazon
Series: Unearthly #1
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart. (Goodreads)

Initial Thoughts: I thought that this book would be a fluffy, light read about a girl with two crushes and an angelic, (overly) sweet personality. I'm very glad to say that I was wrong.


Review: This book was so different from what I expected. The main character wasn't a Perfect Little Angel, she was just a normal girl who was afraid that she wouldn't live up to her mother's expectations, nervous about fitting in after a million moves, and trying desperately not to fall in love with the wrong guy. I loved it! After reading about one chapter, I thought I had this one figured out: fall for boy, fulfill mission, become hero, live Happily Ever After. Instead, I was surprised again and again by plot twists. Cynthia Hand didn't just take a cute idea and follow the normal YA formula, although that would have made for a good novel. She decided to make Clara's life more like that of a normal girl: nothing goes as you expect it to. Despite her lineage, she still acts (mostly) like a normal girl, which makes her easier to relate to than some of the overly sweet characters in other angel books. My only complaint was that the action was over too fast, and that she didn't play a huge part in it. I suppose that this makes sense, given her level of skill and almost complete ignorance about the actual situation (vague enough for ya?), but I would've enjoyed a big battle.

Christian vs Tucker? No contest! Tucker rocks. I would like to get to know Christian better, especially after what happened in the last few chapters. I can't wait for the next book! Her world has been blown wide open and the results can't possibly be anything but exciting! I would recommend this to anyone who like YA. It's perfectly suitable for younger teens, so feel free to pass it on to your kid sister.


Quick Review: Unearthly was an engaging account of one girl's struggle with the idea that her whole reason for existing is to complete a mission, the details of which she hasn't been told. When her destiny leads her one way and her heart leads her another, she has to decide between being Angelic and being happy.

Meridian by Amber Kizer: Review Posted by Tiffany at 2:02 PM

Title: Meridian
Author: Amber Kizer (site)
Published: August 11th, 2009 by Delacorte 
Pages: 320
Price: $9.99 Amazon $13.74 Book Depository
Series: Fenestra #1
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain.

Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

Initial Thoughts: The main reasons that I picked this one up were 1) the gorgeous cover and 2) the amazing synopsis. It seemed so much darker than the usual teen fantasy novel. Things die around her- people die around her. How much creepier does it get?


Review: There was an awful lot going on in this book, and all of it was great. Meridian is a magnet for souls about to leave their bodies. She goes to her aunt's home to learn about herself and encounters an insane church cult (which almost stole the show with the Extra Scary factor added by the fact that it was all so realistic), a boy who is a complete jerk to her, and an aunt who is not long for this world (read: not long enough to teach her everything she needs to know.)

First of all, I LOVED the villain in this book. Using a church cult was genius. It balanced out the fantasy aspect of the book and made it much creepier. It's easy to imagine that kind of church taking hold of A Town Near You. The book would have been great even if it had just been about the struggle between the new religion and the unconverted townsfolk.

My next favorite thing- the guy didn't fall at her feet! He was, actually, a complete jerk for a good portion of the book. I don't mean to advocate a-holes here, but it was very refreshing to encounter a male lead who didn't immediately look upon the main character with soulful, adoring-yet-tortured eyes. I like to see a girl earn affection instead of this instantaneous R+J stuff. It was fine the first five books, but I'm getting tired of all of my YA books having Love At First Sight. On the down-side, once things did start getting somewhere, it felt too fast and a bit out of nowhere.

The story starts out with a bang and keeps to an exciting, fast pace throughout. There are no long chapters filled with nothing but school-day scenes. In fact, we don't get much of a feel for her life Before at all. I was a bit apprehensive about the half-angel thing (it's been done), but it felt very fresh here. She was a bit too whiny and heartbroken about the animals. Maybe it's because I'm not one of those people who enjoys an animal licking my face for five minutes, but I just felt a bit like she should Get Over It. This could be attributed to her angelic heritage, I suppose. The ending was great! I had a general idea of what was behind everything, but the way it all came together was perfect! I can't wait for the next book!


Quick Review: This book was exciting, original, and very creepy. Despite the fantastical premise, it felt very realistic-and very scary. I can't wait to see what is going to happen to Meridian in the next book.