Fresh Batch (June 3rd - 9th) 6 Comments

Exclusively titled for Xpresso Reads, Fresh Batch features the hottest releases of this upcoming week.

Flavor of the week:

All These Lives
Sarah Wylie
Release date: June 5th, 2012
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Goodreads / Purchase

Sixteen-year-old Dani is convinced she has nine lives. As a child she twice walked away from situations where she should have died. But Dani’s twin, Jena, isn’t so lucky.  She has cancer and might not even be able to keep her one life. Dani’s father is in denial. Her mother is trying to hold it together and prove everything’s normal.  And Jena is wasting away.  To cope, Dani sets out to rid herself of all her extra lives.  Maybe they’ll be released into the universe and someone who wants to live more than she does will get one.  Someone like Jena.  But just when Dani finds herself at the breaking point, she’s faced with a startling realization.  Maybe she doesn’t have nine lives after all.  Maybe she really only ever had one.

Read the first chapter here!

Sarah's Website / Goodreads / Twitter

Sarah Wylie has been writing for as long as she can remember. In May 2011, she graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a degree in Neuroscience. She lives in Canada. This is her first novel.

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo 28 Comments

Shadow and Bone
Leigh Bardugo 
Series: The Grisha Trilogy #1
Release date: June 5th, 2012
by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Goodreads / Purchase

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. 

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

*A copy was provided by Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for review purposes*

While fantasy can be a hit or miss for me, I'm glad that I'm able to add another one to my hit pile. When I started Shadow and Bone I was a bit intimidated by the strange new world; by the bizarre terms such as Corporalki and Keramzin, or the ones I can't even pronounce (ie Otkazat’sya); and also by all this talk of the Shadow Fold that was obviously important but I didn't completely understand. However, as the world building is more showing rather than telling, the more I read, the more I was able to grasp the complexities of this world until I realized I was completely caught up in it. Don't get overwhelmed by the infodump at the start as this book ends up having a fascinating world that becomes highly picturesque, with an enchanting cast of characters that brings it to life.

The reason for me not always liking fantasy is how very politically drowning they can be. Political intrigue can only keep my interest for so long before I begin to snooze. Shadow and Bone is definitely not the case. It has a kingdom, yes, but it doesn't come with the usual redundant monarchy debacles I've come to expect - and run from. In here, we've got the mysterious, and terrifying, Shadow Fold filled with nothing but nightmares; we have shocking twists that are both dark and breathtaking; and most of all, we have Alina.

Alina comes off being a fragile little thing who can seem quite naive. But when she's suddenly thrown into a world so unlike her own, with no one to trust and an incredible power she didn't know she had, things get serious - fast! Thus, we get to watch her grow into a brave and powerful young woman. I really enjoyed seeing her blossom right in front of my eyes. This is genuine character development that makes you acknowledge her fears as well as understand her mistakes. She's easy to like and even easier to root for; the kind of heroine that makes the story!

Now on to The Darkling - ominous sounding, no? His dangerous aura fits his name! However, couple this with an alluring charm and we've got ourselves a very compelling character. I was never really sure how much trust to lend him which made him even more intriguing. I constantly found myself wanting to know more about this cryptic being. This is not singular to him, however, the whole story is very character driven with a big, powerful cast.

Yes we have some romance, yes it's dreamy and precious and magnetic and agonizing and exasperating, yes this is all I'm saying.

There is a lot happening in this novel, so much so that it does skim the surface on a few things - I was especially hoping for a deeper knowledge of the Grisha and everything surrounding their purpose. The world building is absolutely attractive, though a lot of it is meant to entertain more than to perfect. But overall: Dark, gritty, yet filled with humoristic bits, Shadow and Bone is a fresh, action packed fantasy that is beautifully written and highly engrossing. This is one that actually lives up to the hype!

4 Hot Espressos

Come To The Midsummer Dream Fair! 5 Comments

 

I'm sure a lot of you have noticed the fab button my blog has been sporting on the sidebar for about a month now. Well it's finally arrived! The Midsummer Dream Fair brings together some of the top indie authors for a fairy-tale carnival full of books, fantastical creatures, prizes, and snacks! Click the flyer to visit the fairground! I know I will, because I’m awesome!

Xpresso Reads is one of the sponsors of The Midsummer Dream Fair and it's launching TODAY. I know you'll want to join the fun because it's FILLED with exciting posts and giveaways! 

Find the fair schedule here, or click on the flyer!

Review: Keep Holding On 44 Comments

Keep Holding On
Susane Colasanti
Release date: May 31st, 2012
by Viking Juvenile

Goodreads / Purchase

A romantic and empowering book about bullying

Noelle's life is all about survival. Even her best friend doesn't know how much she gets bullied, or the ways her mom neglects her. Noelle's kept so much about her life a secret for so long that when her longtime crush Julian Porter starts paying attention to her, she's terrified. Surely it's safer to stay hidden than to risk the pain of a broken heart. But when the antagonism of her classmates takes a dramatic turn, Noelle realizes it's time to stand up for herself--and for the love that keeps her holding on.

*A copy was provided by Penguin Canada for review purposes*

School was the most difficult time in my life. I didn't have it as bad as Noelle. I have a great family who gave me everything I needed, but my school life was terrible. I was picked on and laughed at for being little. I had a hard time approaching people to make friends. I was even bullied by a teacher who made it a point to humiliate me. I was too young to realize this back then, but I will never forgive her. This all made me lash out and act in ways that made myself unapproachable. Being from a very small town like Noelle, this story hit incredibly close to home. It may not be a perfect book, but it still deserves every single star I can give for the simple fact that this sends a strong message that could help people live through what may be the hardest years of their lives.

Noelle had my sympathy from the very first page. She's an immensely strong willed person to have kept herself together the way she did. She is intelligent and caring. She has a huge heart that has been trampled on, but she never gives up. I admire her will and I think a lot of people could learn from her. Her emotions are vivid. She made my heart break and gave my goosebumps by seeing her finally stand up for herself. Yes she makes some stupid decisions, yes it's obvious to us how Matt is using her, yes her reaction to others being bullied is ironic. It may be hard to understand, but when you can avoid making your life even worse, you do so. We have to realize that this girl is stifled in a life of depression and shame, her irrational decisions are due to an unconscious defense mechanism. We'd like to think someone who gets bullied would help others in the same boat, but I call that wishful thinking.

The side characters, though some more than others, have a big a role in the story as well. From her best friend to the bullies, these were plucked out from real life with real problems of their own. I also found her mother very convincing. She's a horrible parent figure, but unlike some other books I've read it didn't feel exaggerated for the sake of the story. It felt like a realistic situation where the parent is just as lost as the child. It's sad, but more often than we realize there are kids who raise themselves, do their own laundry, don't get enough to eat, etc. It's horrible. It really is.

Being a very short book it packs quite the punch; the story is packed full of emotional highs and lows. Like I said it's not perfect, some things could been fleshed out - like her friendship with Sherae, her relationship with Julian, and the ending which I felt was a bit implausible or too good to be true. In real life things don't usually turn around so quickly. Nonetheless, the story is touching. It could definitely help give some kids hope and I think this is what matters in the end.

Yes it's true, things get better. What happens in school doesn't matter when you're older. If only this was easy to believe when you're a teenager. I commend Susane for taking her experience and writing such an encouraging story. It takes courage, I know just by writing this that it IS embarrassing to admit you were bullied, but you know what? Don't ever be ashamed! This is what defines who we become, and I would not change a thing about my life today! 

5 Hot Espressos

Summer Lovin' Giveaway 41 Comments

That's right! It's that time again! To celebrate 1) my wonderful followers, 2) summer, 3) the fabulous peeps who support these giveaways via the link on the sidebar for The Book Depository, I'm throwing this appreciation giveaway to say how much you all rock my face!!

Let's see what's up for grabs

There will be one (1) winner, it's open internationally, but the ARC can only be picked from winners in the US/Canada (sorry, it's very expensive to ship from Canada- if international followers want to pay the difference in shipping for the ARC, though, I'm fine with that). So the deal is this:

• International winner can pick their book of choice from the list below.
• US/Can winner can pick either the ARC, or their book of choice from the list below.

Here are the fabulous summer releases you can pick from

*If the book is not released by the end of this giveaway it will be pre-ordered*

OR

Followers in Canadian/US address can also pick this ARC:

Hopefully everyone sees something here worth drooling over! :)

This giveaway was made possible by The Book Depository affiliate program

Support future giveaways by using the link on sidebar to shop at TBD

Waiting on Wednesday (38) 64 Comments

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

My pick this week:

Dualed

Elsie Chapman

Release date: February 26th, 2013

by Random House

Add it to your Goodreads

Would you live through the ultimate test of survival?

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Killing yourself takes on a whole new meaning, huh?
I actually found this one last week while checking out some WoW posts so I'm sure a lot of you have seen it, and doesn't it Just. Sound. Epic!? This one is 100% up my alley and so far my most anticipated debut of 2013 (2013!!! *sobs*) so I just had to feature it today. I also just met Elsie on Twitter and 1) she's Canadian! Booya!! And 2) she seems totally awesome. Plus, this cover is badass! Conclusion: WAAAAANNNNNT!

What book are you excited for this week?

Link me up! :)

Review: Blood & Love and Other Vampire Tales 33 Comments

Blood & Love and Other Vampire Tales
Rhiannon Frater
Release date: March 7th, 2012


Goodreads / Purchase

Award-winning author Rhiannon Frater delves deep into the vampire mythos in her new short story collection featuring the beautiful, but deadly undead.

Spanning a hundred years and a diverse cast of characters, Rhiannon explores the themes of loneliness, revenge, blood and love in seven tales.

How far will the bloodthirsty vampires go to find love, revenge, and family? Discover the truth in Love & Blood and Other Vampire Tales.

*A copy was provided by Rhiannon Frater for review purposes*

Eeeeh, vampires à la Rhiannon Frater? Yes please!

This vampire anthology gives us vampiric tales from the vengeful to the romantic. Divided in 3 parts, we've got a good bunch of unique short stories that sticks with the classic vampire beliefs. The first part's stories are very short but they're fun; perfect to get you in the mood - like those little preluding mini movies in Pixar films. Although these ones aren't so cutesy. I mean - coming from Rhiannon and all.

All about strong, dependent women who don't take kindly to be treated like trash, part 2 is all about revenge on creeps who deserve it. Treating girls like a possession - manipulating and stalking them - has been ongoing in novels these days so I'm relieved when I read about empowered females who fight back. And these ones surely do. One thing I've noticed about Rhiannon's work is how she handles the fate of the hateful characters. They get everything that they deserve and my sadistic side relishes this! I could not have ended these better even if I tried.

As for part 3, we get a trilogy filled with romance, magic, and a touch of heartbreak. Each short story is a different point of view showing us unique sides of this family's tale. My personal favorite - of this part as well as the whole book - is The Memoirs of Moniki the Great. It's the POV of a little girl who's only 7 years old. Her tale is tragic and heartbreaking, but so very sweet. I loved her voice, she's so compelling she basically put me in her shoes. I felt her pain, her hope, and above all, her innocence. For a short story it was surprisingly profound. It's worth a read just for this one. It's unorthodox, though, as it includes a touch of magic, but I thought it was brilliant. Just a quick note of the final story of this trilogy. It was my first venture in a 2nd person narrative so it was very different for me. I'm not sure I would enjoy reading a full length novel with it, but it was interesting to see it applied.

True to its title, Blood & Love and Other Vampire Tales contains plenty of blood and an abundance of love inside this fantastic variety of vampire themed stories. Fans of Rhiannon Frater - this one's a given! Not a fan yet? You are missing out!

4 Hot Espressos

  Blood & Love and Other Vampire Tales is FREE today and tomorrow!

Click here to grab it (pdf)!
Check Amazon tomorrow to get it Free for Kindle!