Meridian by Amber Kizer

Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.
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.

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Publication Date: August 11, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books 
ISBN:  0385736681
Original Language: English
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Adventure/Supernatural/Romance
Source: Library
Buy the Book: Amazon
Lootability: There's room but keep looking.

Blog Tour: Falling In Between by Devon Ashley

Finally! A private conversation. And all I had to do was throw myself off a cliff, drown in a pond in my undies and let him put his hands on my breasts to bring me back to life. Yay me! (yeah, that’s sarcasm) 
Yep, that pretty much sums up the most craptastic night of Jenna Baker’s life. She drowns after jumping off a cliff, meets a hotty named Chance in the pearlescent in-between and is brought back to life by her soon-to-be boyfriend Robert. 
Just when things start to move forward with Robert, the guy she'd been crushing on for a year now, in walks the man of her dreams – literally. Chance suddenly appears in her dream every time she closes her eyes. So it's Robert by day and Chance by night. One in the real world and one in the dream world. What could possibly go wrong? 
Absolutely nothing – until she comes face to face with the guy she met in the in-between, and realizes her romantic rendezvous with Chance may be more than just her imagination. 

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Publication Date: February 14th, 2012
Publisher: Indie Publishing
Country: USA
ISBN13: 9781466388901
Original Language: English
Age Group: Young Adult (Mature content included)
Genre: Romance/Supernatural
Source: Devon Ashley
Lootability: Grab it and go!

In My Mailbox (5)

I have so many books to read this week that I'm tempted to skip work and just read all week!

 From the Library:


 Meridian by Amber Kizer
Goodreads | Amazon
Hereafter by Tara Hudson
Goodreads | Amazon
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Goodreads | Amazon
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
Goodreads | Amazon
0.4 by Mike Lancaster

Goodreads | Amazon

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathon Stroud

Nathaniel is a boy magician-in-training, sold to the government by his birth parents at the age of five and sent to live as an apprentice to a master. Powerful magicians rule Britain, and its empire, and Nathaniel is told his is the "ultimate sacrifice" for a "noble destiny." 
If leaving his parents and erasing his past life isn't tough enough, Nathaniel's master, Arthur Underwood, is a cold, condescending, and cruel middle-ranking magician in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The boy's only saving grace is the master's wife, Martha Underwood, who shows him genuine affection that he rewards with fierce devotion. Nathaniel gets along tolerably well over the years in the Underwood household until the summer before his eleventh birthday. Everything changes when he is publicly humiliated by the ruthless magician Simon Lovelace and betrayed by his cowardly master who does not defend him. 
Nathaniel vows revenge. In a Faustian fever, he devours magical texts and hones his magic skills, all the while trying to appear subservient to his master. When he musters the strength to summon the 5,000-year-old djinni Bartimaeus to avenge Lovelace by stealing the powerful Amulet of Samarkand, the boy magician plunges into a situation more dangerous and deadly than anything he could ever imagine. 

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Publication Date: 30th September, 2003
Publisher: Miramax
Country: UK
ISBN: 078681859X
Original Language: English
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Adventure/Fantasy
Source: NetGalley
Buy the Book: Amazon
Lootability: There's room but look for more.

Legend by Marie Lu

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

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Publication Date: 19th November, 2011
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Country: United States
ISBN: 039925675X
Original Language: English
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian/Romance/Adventure
Source: Library
Buy the Book: Amazon
Lootability: Grab it and go!

Touch of Power by Maria V Snyder

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Fifteen Realms, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life... 

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Publication Date: 20th December, 2012
Publisher: Mira Ink Books
ISBN: 0778313077
Original Language: English
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Adventure
Source: Library
Buy the Book: Amazon 
Lootability: Grab it and go.

Top Ten Character To Dress Up As

I have a costume party coming up, the theme is Superhero's and Villains. I was trying to work out what to wear  and decided I'm not going as a 'Super' hero but as a Book hero. So here are a few of my favourite ideas for costumes:

1. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter by J.K Rowling) was always a costume option for me. Growing up I had the long, frizzy golden brown hair of Emma Watson and was often the nerd with her hand up in class.
Check out the-leaky-cauldron.org for a DIY Hermione costume.

2. Alice (Alice In Wonderland by C.S Lewis) is another favourite. I have a beautiful black and white pinafore dress that puddles around me like Alice's does in the Disney movie.
Alice-in-wonderland.net for Alice costume ideas.

3. Little Red Riding Hood is another classic that can look suave, sexy or smart. A cute little dress, a red hood and a basket is almost all you need.
The halloweenmart blog has LRRH ideas.

4. Sherlock Holmes (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle) isn't too difficult either. Throw on a trench coat, grab a bubble pipe (ala Bart Simpson) and throw on a matching cap.
Howtomakestuff.com has a few suggestions on how to throw things together.

5. Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins) is my curent choice. I bought a Mockingjay pin and I'll throw on black skinny jeans, with a black singlet and a leather jacket. I'll buy a children's bow & arrow set, and some fake leather material. I'll use the leather to sew brown boot covers, and wrap it around a cardboard packing cylinder for a quiver.

I'm only doing my top 5 cause I'm super lazy :)

In My Mailbox (4)

NetGalley did well by me this week:

The Viking's Sacrifice by Julia Knight

Amazon | Goodreads

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

Amazon | Goodreads

The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

Amazon | Goodreads

The Replacement Wife by Eileen Goudge

Amazon | Goodreads

Caught in Crystal by Patricia C. Wrede

There stands a twisted tower... hidden in the Windhome Mountains. Something is imprisoned there - the Sisterhood of Stars does not know precisely what, but something is bound tight with a wizard's spell so that it can never escape again. Kayl is one of the few to have looked upon the Twisted Tower. She has no desire to see it again - she left the Sisterhood long ago, settling down to a quiet life. Her sword lies unused in a secret place beneath the stones of her hearth. But something evil is leaking from the Tower. And now a sorceress and a wizard have appeared on Kayl's doorstep, demanding she take up the sword again.

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Publication Date: 1st March, 1987
Publisher: Ace Books
Country: United States
ISBN: 0441760066
Original Language: English
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Adventure/Romance/Fantasy
Source: Amazon
Buy the Book: Amazon
Lootability: Needs more booty.

Firelight by Kristen Callihan

London, 1881Once the flames are ignited . . . Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.
They will burn for eternity . . . Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask

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Publication Date: 31st January, 2012
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing 
ISBN: 1455508594
Original Language: English
Age Group: Young Adult/Adult
Genre: Romance/Fantasy/Paranormal/Fairytale
Source: NetGalley
Buy the Book: Amazon
Lootability: Grab it and go!

The Wedding Gift by Kathleen McKenna

It is a spine-electrifying supernatural tale where a huge Southern States mansion contains one of the most terrifying, violent and indeed psychopathic ghosts to haunt any town. It is also a murder mystery - why did Robina Willets apparently kill all five of her young children, and her husband, before stabbing herself to death?

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Publication Date: July 12th, 2010
Publisher: CreateSpace
Country: 
ISBN: 1453701974
Original Language: English
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Mystery/Romance/Paranormal
 Source: NetGalley
Buy the Book: Amazon
Lootability: It's a blunt object, hit someone with it.

The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice.Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf's bailiff---a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past.Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

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Publication Date: November 29th, 2011
Publisher: Zonderman
Country: United States
ISBN: 0310727618 
Original Language: English
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Romance/Fantasy/Fairytale/Religious
Source: NetGalley ARC
Buy the Book: Amazon
Lootability: There's room but keep looking

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

I've been keeping an eye on (FB stalking) Juliet Marillier, and am getting all excited about her two releases this year. Mostly, I'm excited for her new young adult/adult crossover, but her next Sevenwaters instalment should be out in November. I look forward to next Christmas just because of the books I want it to bring.

Shadowfell 
Juliet Marillier
September 11, 2012

 Until recent times, a wary tolerance has existed between the human residents of Alban and the uncanny Good Folk. Then Keldec ascends the throne, and the kingdom becomes a place of fear where magic is shunned, neighbour turns on neighbour and no secret is safe. When fifteen-year-old Nevyn suffers an unthinkable betrayal of trust, she finds herself all alone in a world turned hostile. The secret she guards so closely could be her doom. It could also be the key to Alban's future. 
Shadowfell is a story of tyranny and rebellion; of magic and of human courage

Cover art has not yet been released. I'll be posting it when it has been put up.

Thief of Shadows
Elizabeth Hoyt
July 1, 2012

A masked man... Winter Makepeace lives a double life. By day he's the stoic headmaster of a home for foundling children. But the night brings out a darker side of Winter. As the moon rises, so does the Ghost of St. Giles—protector, judge, fugitive. When the Ghost, beaten and wounded, is rescued by a beautiful aristocrat, Winter has no idea that his two worlds are about to collide. 
A dangerous woman... Lady Isabel Beckinhall enjoys nothing more than a challenge. Yet when she's asked to tutor the Home's dour manager in the ways of society— flirtation, double entendres, and scandalous liaisons—Isabel can't help wondering why his eyes seem so familiar—and his lips so tempting. 
A passion neither could deny... During the day Isabel and Winter engage in a battle of wills. At night their passions are revealed...But when little girls start disappearing from St. Giles, Winter must avenge them. For that he might have to sacrifice everything—the Home, Isabel...and his life.

The Mysterious Lady Law by Robert Appleton

 

In a time of grand airships and steam-powered cars, the death of a penniless young maid will hardly make the front page. But part-time airship waitress and music hall dancer Julia Bairstow is shattered by her sister's murder. When Lady Law, the most notorious private detective in Britain, offers to investigate the case pro bono, Julia jumps at the chance—even against the advice of Constable Al Grant, who takes her protection surprisingly to heart.

Lady Law puts Scotland Yard to shame. She's apprehended Jack the Ripper and solved countless other cold-case crimes. No one knows how she does it, but it's brought her fortune, renown and even a title. But is she really what she claims to be—a genius at deducting? Or is Al right and she is not be trusted?

Julia is determined to find out the truth, even if it means turning sleuth herself—and turning the tables on Lady Law... 

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Publication Date: January 31st, 2011

Publisher: Carina PressCountry: United States of AmericaISBN13: 9781426891151Original Language: EnglishAge Group: Young AdultGenre: Supernatural/Paranormal, Romance, Mystery, SteampunkSource: ARC recieved through NetGalley (a long time ago).Buy the Book: AmazonLootability: It's a blunt object hit someone with it.

Steam and Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape

Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and supernatural. A Knight of the Order of the Round Table, his use of magick and the technologies of steam power have made him both respected and feared. But his considerable skills are useless in the face of his greatest challenge, guardianship of five unusual children. At a loss, Merrick enlists the aid of a governess. 
Miss Caroline Bristol is reluctant to work for a bachelor but she needs a position, and these former street children touch her heart. While she tends to break any mechanical device she touches, it never occurs to her that she might be something more than human. All she knows is that Merrick is the most dangerously attractive man she's ever met—and out of reach for a mere governess. 
When conspiracy threatens to blur the distinction between humans and monsters, Caroline and Merrick must join forces, and the fate of humanity hinges upon their combined skills of steam and sorcery...

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: March 7th, 2011

Publisher: Carina PressCountry: United States of AmericaISBN: N/AOriginal Language: EnglishAge Group: Young AdultGenre: Supernatural/Paranormal, Romance, Mystery, SteampunkSource: ARC recieved through NetGalley (a long time ago).Buy the Book: AmazonLootability: Grab it and go

In My Mailbox (2)

I've been keeping up with my new years resolutions quite nicely, and have been requesting lots of titles through NetGalley to keep up a steady stream of new release reviews (I've got the books, and will, eventually, post the reviews). 
In the past week I got my hands on:

Priestess of the Nile by Veronica Scott

Goodreads | Amazon

The Seventh Scroll by Wilbur Smith

The Seventh Scroll, an ancient papyrus written by the slave Taita, holds the secret to the location of the Pharaoh's hidden tomb--and his staggering untold wealth. Untouched for thousands of years, the scroll is accidently discovered and instantly becomes something people will kill to obtain

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: November 10, 1995Publisher: MacMillianCountry: United States of AmericaISBN: 0333637704Original Language: EnglishAge Group: AdultGenre: Historical, ThrillerBuy the Book: AmazonLootability: Grab it and go

Clarity by Kim Harrington

When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?
This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats. Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.
And a curse.
When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case - but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother - who has supernatural gifts of his own - becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

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Publication Date: March 1, 2011
Publisher: Point
Country: United States of America
ISBN: 9780545230506
Original Language: English
Age Group: Young
Adult
Genre: Supernatural/Paranormal, Romance, Mystery
Buy the Book: Amazon
Lootability: Grab it and go

January Book of the Month: Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky was the first book I read in January. In fact, it was the first book I read this year, or for my 200 book challenge.
Arguably, there were other books that I read this month, like Hade’s Daughter and No Humans Involved, that I enjoyed more. Yet, Wallflower has an essence that can’t be found in just any book. It is meaningful and resounding without forcing a deeper understanding onto you. It wasn’t until I finished that I realised how much it affected me. There was something very special about Wallflower.

January’s recommendation is Perks of Being a Wallflower. See my review here.

Raiding Bookshelves Book of the Month