***THIS IS BOOK TWO IN A SERIES AND THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR NIGHTSHADE. TO CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF NIGHTSHADE, CLICK ***

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

Given the insane cliffhanger that Andrea Cremer ended Nightshade on, it’s no surprise that I was excited for the release of Wolfsbane. Even though I went in with high expectations, I didn’t expect to devour all near 400 pages of Wolfsbane in 48 hours, my jaw on the floor the entire time. With its perfect balance of action and world building, Cremer’s sophomore novel had me turning pages late into the night and dying for more.

Wolfsbane starts right where Nightshade left off. While Nightshade focused a lot on the Keepers and the Guardians, Wolfsbane focuses more on the Searchers, introducing us to lots of intriguing new characters. I was constantly impressed not only by the amazingly detailed world Cremer has crafted, but also by the twists and turns that I found within the pages of Wolfsbane.

Part of the reason I loved Wolfsbane so much more than Nightshade (and I really enjoyed Nightshade) is because Wolfsbane shows off what a wonderful writer Cremer is. Her prose felt just a little bit more polished than in Nightshade, and she did a nice job of incorporating deeper themes into her story without shoving them in the reader’s face. Plus, Ren and Shay are both very intriguing love interests. After finishing Wolfsbane I remain firmly on Team Shay.

If you haven’t already figured it out, Wolfsbane blew me out out of the water. Between the awesomeness of this book and another cliffhanger ending, I cannot wait to get my hands on Bloodrose. Despite the fact that Bloodrose’s release date has been bumped up, it’s going to be a long wait until January.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you!

In my mailbox is hosted by Kristi of .

Gifted:
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Past Perfect by Leila Sales
Bought:
by Tamora Pierce
by Jenny Han
by Mandy Hubbard
by Leah Cypess
by Holly Goldberg Sloan
by Lauren Barnholdt
by Meg Cabot
by Sarah Dessen
by Laurie Viera Rigler
by Laurie Viera Rigler
by L.A. Meyer
by Tessa Dare
by Justine Larbalestier
by Norton Juster
by Megan McCafferty
by Meg Cabot
by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
by Matt Haig
by Francisco X. Stork
by Jillian Larkin
by Antony John
by Ann Brashares
Blogs and bloggers mentioned:
Shanyn of
Misty of
Allison of
Nicole of
Alea of
Sarah of
Chelsea of

Currently reading:
by Joanne Dahme
by J.K. Rowling
by Sherry Turkle
edited by Liz Miles
What I plan to read:
by Gretchen McNeil
by Bree Despain
by Neil Gaiman

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publicist in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you!

Hey everyone! Today's (hosted by ) is free form, so I decided to post about the Top Ten Books I've Never Read. Hopefully posting this will encourage me to get caught up on my TBR pile. Meanwhile, you guys can tell what I really need to bump up and bully me. 10.) Anything by P.G. Wodehouse
P.G. Wodehouse wrote the Jeeves and Wooster books, which were then turned into a t.v. show called . I've been watching Jeeves & Wooster since I was a small child and absolutely love it. has been on my TBR pile for awhile. Anyone out there who's read the books and seen the show? How do the two compare?

9.) by Rick Riordan
As we all know, the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series particularly popular series which is targeted towards readers of children's books, middle grade and young adult. Considering the fact that I hope to be a children's and youth services librarian I think it'd be a good idea to pick these up. I was interested in reading them when they first came out anyways.

8.) by Patrick Rothfuss
Misty of and Allison of are both going to kill me for this one. The Name of the Wind came out a few years ago and it seemed like the rave reviews started pouring in right away on GoodReads. I'm definitely interested, and the funny thing is I've definitely been in the mood for some epic adult fantasy lately. However, I'm a little intimidated by the length of this one. School is about to start, and I'm not positive if I'd really have the time to get into it.

7.) by William Golding
You guys had summer reading in high school, right? At my school, we'd usually be given a few lists and then pick a book or two off of each list. Lord of the Flies was an option one year, but I remember that there was something else I wanted to read instead.

6.) by Oscar Wilde
I love Victorian fiction and have heard great things about The Picture of Dorian Gray. So why haven't I gotten to this one?

5.) by Audrey Niffenegger
I'd always eye The Time Traveler's Wife in bookstores as a teenager and finally acquired a copy in fall of 2009. All of my highly trusted sources have said that this book is amazing. I need to hurry up and read it already.

4.) by Judy Blume
I think of Forever as something of a classic in the world of YA literature. See the above note about my career. Plus, I was a big fan of as a fifth grader.

3.) by Emily Bronte
Another classic, but what intrigues me about Wuthering Heights is the fact that there seems to be such a mix of opinions surrounding it. Even though a contemporary YA novel spoiled this one for me (I'd say which one but it feels too much like tattling), I want to try this one out for myself.

2.) by J.D. Salinger
Another one that was on summer reading lists that I never wound up picking. It seems as though everyone who reads, writes and works with YA literature as read The Catcher in the Rye, yet I haven't, despite the fact that I am intrigued. Time to fix that!

1.) by Lois Lowry
Children's classic. Dystopian. I've loved the author's other books. Normally, these three signs all indicate a book that I'd want to read. I'm looking forward to finally picking up The Giver, and I hope that's soon.

So that's all for now. Any books you can't believe I haven't read? Any that I really need to bump up? Let me know what you think!

In my mailbox is hosted by Kristi of .

For review:
by Jackson Pearce
Bought:
by Madeline L'Engle
by Claire LaZebnik
by Mary E. Pearson
by Katie Kacvinsky
by Lemony Snicket
by Lemony Snicket
by Lemony Snicket
by Beverly Clearly
by Robin Benway
by Sharon Creech
by Nick Burd
Blogs and bloggers mentioned:
Misty of
Kristi of
Brent of

Read:
by Risa Green
by John Green
by Jenny Han
Currently reading:
by J.K. Rowling
by Sherry Turkle
edited by Liz Miles
What I plan to read:
by Victoria Patterson
by Joanne Dahme
by Bree Despain
by Neil Gaiman

Katniss Everdeen’s adventures may have come to an end, but her story continues to blaze in the hearts of millions worldwide.

In The Girl Who Was on Fire, thirteen YA authors take you back to Panem with moving, dark, and funny pieces on Katniss, the Games, Gale and Peeta, reality TV, survival, and more. From the trilogy's darker themes of violence and social control to fashion and weaponry, the collection's exploration of the Hunger Games reveals exactly how rich, and how perilous, protagonist Katniss’ world really is.

• How does the way the Games affect the brain explain Haymitch’s drinking, Annie’s distraction, and Wiress’ speech problems?
• What does the rebellion have in common with the War on Terror?
• Why isn’t the answer to “Peeta or Gale?” as interesting as the question itself?
• What should Panem have learned from the fates of other hedonistic societies throughout history&mdashand what can we?

The Girl Who Was On Fire covers all three books in the Hunger Games trilogy.

As many of you know, I love series and was an English major in college. This means that while I’m passionate about YA literature, I’m also used to reading academic essays. So when I heard a book of essays about one of my all time favorite YA series was coming out, I had a feeling it’d be my cup of tea. When the e-mail arrived asking if I‘d like to review said book, namely The Girl Who Was On Fire, I jumped at the chance. While a few of the essays fell flat for me, most of them had me muttering, “Wow, amazing” or shouting, “HOW did I not see that?!?!?! Brilliant!”

I could review The Girl Who Was On Fire in a variety of ways, so what I’m going to do is a highlight a few essays that I had extreme feelings about. Overall, this book is filled with essays by very gifted writers. There were times when I walked away from an essay saying, “I haven’t learned all that much that’s new to me” but I never found myself disagreeing or thinking that what an author had written was ignorant or stupid.

Before I get into individual essays, let me give you the fastest break down possible. If you are sitting on front of your computer going, “I’m a fan of The Hunger Games, is The Girl Who Was On Fire a must read for me?” Yes. Absolutely.

Firstly, Sarah Darer Littman knows what she is talking about. Her essay is carefully researched. Secondly, it is very intelligently written. Thirdly, in making her analogies, Littman strikes the perfect balance between talking about our world and The Hunger Games. After reading this and ? I have a strong urge to run out and buy all of Littman’s books, because she is brilliant.

In her essay, Despain talks about how Katniss forms community throughout The Hunger Games series. It’s well written, and Despain has clearly read the books. However, I think she made two crucial errors in this essay. I think she needed to start off by saying, “This is the definition of community as it used in this essay and this is why any given society functions better with community.” Unfortunately, I never truly felt like she did that.

We’ve certainly got an intriguing title and concept on our hands here. I think "Smoke and Mirrors" helped explain Katniss and Coin’s characters a little bit better. Overall, though, I left it feeling as though I hadn’t been presented with enough new information to be drawn in or left thinking afterwards.

Is it just me, or does anyone else love it when an author does something that may at first sound crazy, like compare reality t.v. to propaganda in a dystopian novel, but then totally pulls it off and blows your mind? Because that is precisely what Ryan does in her essay. She talks about how t.v. producers and editors can use certain footage to create narratives. Ryan’s essay was interesting and insightful in its discussion of Collins’s world and our own. Ryan’s brilliance is just one reason why even though I’ve never read anything by her, I have trilogy on hardback sitting on my shelf, awaiting my attention.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publicist in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you!

***PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS BOOK TWO IN A SERIES AND MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR ITS PREDECESSOR. TO SEE MY REVIEWS OF EARLIER BOOKS IN THE SERIES, CONSULT THE LINK BELOW***

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

I decided to do another video review, and used some iMovie editing in this one. Let me know what you think!

Hey everyone! I'm a little late with this (hosted by ) because I am trying to get my life in order to move in two weeks. Nonetheless, here it is, because I can never resist the urge to pimp out books I think could use more love.

In fall of 2010, by Andrea Cremer was one of the most popular books in the blogosphere. After the huge cliffhanger that Nightshade ended on, I was ready to get more of Andrea’s fabulous books. Thankfully on Friday July 29th I had the chance to attend the release party for , where I was able to get a few books signed, talk to lots of awesome bloggers and gush to Andrea about her books.

Before the event, I met up with lots of bloggers such as Alison of , Brittany from , Mariya from and Jill from Pretty soon it was time to head over to where the event was being held! Once there, we also ran into some girls from . We passed the time before the event chatting and talking books.

Eventually, it was time for Andrea to get up and speak. She told us about how Shay’s birthday was coming up, and read a very brief passage aloud from Wolfsbane. I was only about a hundred pages into my ARC at the time and hadn’t gotten to the part she was reading from yet, so it was a great incentive for me to keep reading. After that, Andrea took questions from the audience. She told us about her drafting process, such as the fact that once she gets a story idea into her head, it consumes her and she’s able to draft very quickly. After that she spends quite a bit of time revising. Andrea also mentioned that she will probably be going on a European tour this fall to France and Italy (I want to go to France and Italy!) and that she’ll likely go on a full tour once releases in February. How awesome is that? After that, it was time to get our books signed! Plus, there was an awesome cake that I couldn’t resist.

In addition to getting my ARC of Wolfsbane signed, I picked up a hardcover and a Nightshade paperback. If you haven’t already read Wolfsbane, be warned--it’s even better than Nightshade (my review of Wolfsbane is not up yet, but it will be soon). Since I want you all to be able to read this series if you haven’t already, I’m offering up signed copies of a Nightshade paperback and Wolfsbane in hardcover for giveaway! Interested? Just check out the rules and fill out the form below.

*One winner will receive a signed paperback of Nightshade and a signed hardcover of Wolfsbane, both by Andrea Cremer.
*Open to U.S. readers only.
*The giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. CST on Sunday August 14th.
*There are no extra entries for tweeting or blogging about this giveaway, but I'd be very appreciative if you did so.

In my mailbox is hosted by Kristi of .

Gifted:
by Suzanne Young swag
Borrowed:
by Stephanie Perkins
Bought:
by Jane O'Connor
by Neil Gaiman (audiobook)
by Susan Patron
by Jack Gantos
by Andrea Cremer
by Andrea Cremer
by Karsten Knight
by Victoria Schwab
Eustace the narwhal from
Blogs and bloggers mentioned:
Shanyn of

Read:
by Stephanie Perkins
Currently reading:
by J.K. Rowling
by Shirley Turkle
edited by Liz Miles
What I plan to read:
by Risa Green
by Victoria Patterson
by Neil Gaiman

Sick of vampires? So is Meena Harper.

But her boss is making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn’t believe in them.

Not that Meena isn’t familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you’re going to die (not that you’re going to believe her; no one ever does).

But not even Meena’s precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets—then makes the mistake of falling in love with—Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side . . . a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire-hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.

The problem is, he already is dead. Maybe that’s why he’s the first guy Meena’s ever met that she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena’s always been able to see everyone else’s future, she’s never been able look into her own.

And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.

Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future . . .

If she even has one.

The summary of Insatiable is somewhat true to real life when it implies that vampires are everywhere these days. In Insatiable, Meg Cabot finally covers vampires (and no, she didn’t just write the book because vamps are trendy, but that’s a story for another day) with a little bit of sexytimes and a strong female character. Despite these two awesome elements, Insatiable didn’t quite quench my thirst for a fantastic adult paranormal novel. (Get it? Quenching my thirst? Vampires? Hardy har har. I’m done now.)

The one thing I can’t complain about in Insatiable is the plot. Cabot tells an unpredictable story that was wrought with suspense until the final page. I read this book while traveling and it made my four hour delay (three of those spent on the plane) s and time sitting in airports pass much more quickly.

I loved Meena right off the bat. She is an intelligent, adult woman who can take care of herself. I appreciated the way Meena handled herself at the conclusion of this story, but I think Cabot wound up making her sound preachy. Even if you believe in the message you’re sending through a character, preachy just doesn’t work for me.

One of my biggest problems with Insatiable was the insta-love, and I’m not talking about the physical intimacy that Lucien and Meena quickly shared. What I mean is that I didn’t like how after having just met Lucien, Meena couldn’t stop talking about how in love she was with him and vice versa. However, I loved reading about Alaric. Even though I wasn’t sure about him at first, he grew on me by the end of the novel. Let’s just say that while I started of who I was rooting for, I finished on Team Alaric.

As far as vampire books go, Insatiable isn’t a total dud. However, there were some things in here that seriously clashed with my tastes. I’ll be curious to see where the story, especially the romance, goes in Overbite.

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book.

Maggie Stiefvater is a fairly major name in the YA world and is pretty popular series, so it’s no surprise that she went on tour for Forever, the final book in her trilogy. When Maggie announced on Twitter that her schedule was up, I clicked on the link and was tense with anticipation as the page loaded, praying for a stop in my area. Turns out I was in luck. On Monday, July 25th I hopped into my car and drove off to in Minneapolis to see Maggie and one of her best friends and fellow , Tessa Gratton, author of .

I arrived at the Wild Rumpus about two hours before the singing, picked up my copy of Forever and meandered to a nearby coffee shop to get caffeinated. I wandered back to the store around 45 minutes before the signing and found Alison of , also waiting for the signing to start. The Wild Rumpus is a very unique store in that it has pets such as cats and chickens wandering around, so that kept us entertained while we held on to our seats.

Eventually, Maggie and Tessa came out. If you ever have the chance to meet Maggie in person, you should go, because she is hilarious. Not only was the content of Maggie’s talk amusing, she was constantly gesticulating and using funny voices. Maggie told the story of when she found out that Linger debuted at number one on the New York Times best seller list and talked about her writing process for Forever. After cracking us up, Maggie took questions from the audience. My question happened to be the last she answered, and I asked Maggie if when she writes tear-jerking scenes, she throws her head back and cackles or feels any remorse for the reader. Maggie answered by talking about how by Audrey Niffenger made her sob hysterically and how she wanted to have that same effect on readers. Ultimately, she answered my question by saying that yes, she does cackle a little bit when she knows she’s about to make a reader cry.

After that, it was time to get our books signed! Alison and I got in line towards the back and met Maggie from while in line. I had been talking to her on Twitter the day before the signing, and she approached me. The time passed much more quickly with all three of us chatting! As Alison and I got to the front of the line I tried to help Alison out by taking a picture of her and Maggie with her camera, but it wasn’t cooperating and I was having issues balancing the total of six books I had with me to get signed. When my turn to meet Maggie came, I told her about how I nearly died while reading the last eighty pages of Shiver and how I was waiting for the moment in Linger when she would make me cry (I was reading Linger at the time). Maggie graciously signed all of my books as she, Tessa and I chatted. While Tessa signed my book I told her I was psyched to read Blood Magic because I had loved Maggie and Brenna’s work. I figure if Maggie, Brenna and Tessa were all friends, it was probably a sign I’d enjoy Blood Magic. Tessa gave me contact information in case I didn't like Blood Magic--specifically, Carrie Ryan's (author of ) contact info. That made me laugh. Maggie and Tessa both preceded to torture me by telling me that Brenna’s upcoming release, , is even better. Once everyone had gone through the signing line Alison and I were both able to get pictures with her camera, and chat a little more with the authors. Maggie doodled a wolf in my copy of forever and we talked about the genre of literary fiction and what that even means (I believe what Maggie implied was that it’s adult novels that are character driven, but I could be wrong).

If you follow , you know that she’s been driving Loki, her 1960s Camaro around on this tour. When Alison, Maggie and I expressed an interest in seeing Loki, Maggie’s husband was kind enough to pull it around so we could admire it and get a picture. Loki is a very pretty car, but strikes me as difficult to drive and maintain.

Between the fact that I got to meet Maggie Stiefvater and tons of other awesome bloggers, this was a spectacular event. Of all the signings I’ve been too, I’d say this will stick out as one of the more memorable ones. So if you are at all considering attending a Maggie Stiefvater event, let me give you a piece of advice: GO!

In this irresistible follow-up to her New York Times bestselling debut, Garden Spells, author Sarah Addison Allen tells the tale of a young woman whose family secrets—and secret passions—are about to change her life forever.

Twenty-seven-year-old Josey Cirrini is sure of three things: winter in her North Carolina hometown is her favorite season, she’s a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her hidden closet. For while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mother’s house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night…. Until she finds it harboring none other than local waitress Della Lee Baker, a tough-talking, tenderhearted woman who is one part nemesis—and two parts fairy godmother…

Fleeing a life of bad luck and big mistakes, Della Lee has decided Josey’s clandestine closet is the safest place to crash. In return she’s going to change Josey’s life—because, clearly, it is not the closet of a happy woman. With Della Lee’s tough love, Josey is soon forgoing pecan rolls and caramels, tapping into her startlingly keen feminine instincts, and finding her narrow existence quickly expanding.

Before long, Josey bonds with Chloe Finley, a young woman who makes the best sandwiches in town, is hounded by books that inexplicably appear whenever she needs them, and—most amazing of all—has a close connection to Josey’s longtime crush.

As little by little Josey dares to step outside herself, she discovers a world where the color red has astonishing power, passion can make eggs fry in their cartons, and romance can blossom at any time—even for her. It seems that Della Lee’s work is done, and it’s time for her to move on. But the truth about where she’s going, why she showed up in the first place—and what Chloe has to do with it all—is about to add one more unexpected chapter to Josey’s fast-changing life.

Brimming with warmth, wit, and a sprinkling of magic, here is a spellbinding tale of friendship, love—and the enchanting possibilities of every new day.

Anyone who is looking for a story with a hint of romance and decadent descriptions of food ought to pick up one of Sarah Addison Allen’s novels. After falling in love with last summer, I had fairly high expectations for The Sugar Queen. While Allen’s imagery and characters were incredibly charming, the plot didn’t leave me quite as entranced.

Reading Allen’s books is always such a sensory experience. As I flipped the pages I could smell the peppermint in the Cirrini house and taste the sweets Josey hid in her closet. Many of the descriptions are reminiscent of Christmas, making this the perfect book to read on a snowy winter night.

If you asked me to name some of the overarching themes in The Sugar Queen, I’d say that starting over is definitely one of them. Josey, Chloe, and Della Lee are all characters who either need to get away from their past or have just had a major change in their lives. While I didn’t mind reading about any of them, Josey was the only one with whom I shared a connection. I couldn’t particularly relate to Chloe’s problems, and I didn’t care for the conclusion of Della Lee’s story.

The Sugar Queen is a sweet and lovely read, but for me, not a memorable one. However, if you’re looking for a wintery read packed with small town drama, I’d say this is precisely the book for you.