Waiting on Wednesday: Sorrow's Knot and These Broken Stars

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where you can post about upcoming books you're looking forward to. This is a wonderful chance for blogger to show off what's coming out soon that they are excited about! Every week my wishlist balloons thanks to this awesome meme.

Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow

In the world of Sorrow’s Knot, the dead do not rest easy. Every patch of shadow might be home to something hungry and nearly invisible, something deadly. The dead can only be repelled or destroyed with magically knotted cords and yarns. The women who tie these knots are called binders. 

Otter is the daughter of Willow, a binder of great power. She’s a proud and privileged girl who takes it for granted that she will be a binder some day herself. But when Willow’s power begins to turn inward and tear her apart, Otter finds herself trapped with a responsibility she’s not ready for, and a power she no longer wants.

Sorrow's Knot is out  2013 by Arthur A. Levine Books.

This is the first time I'm seeing this cover but I have to say that I really like it. I'm enjoying the Native American feel to the whole thing. This book looks super good and I can't wait!

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?
Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it. 

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.

These Broken Stars is out December 10th 2013 by Disney Hyperion.

I squeed when I saw this cover, stopped, took a deep breath and did it again. Absolutely gorgeous! Reminds me a lot of the first (and better) cover for Tempest. Killer cover and killer summary equals me being one excited girl.

Which book are you waiting on this week?

Top Ten Tuesday- Auto Buy Authors

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week, they post a subject and the goal is to answer the question with your top ten picks. Once you've done it, link back to The Broke and the Bookish and check out what other bloggers have to say!

Top Ten Tuesday Auto-Buy Authors

I'm much pickier about this than I thought. While I would most definitely auto-buy books I loved from a series, I'm much more reluctant to buy books from a new series. For me, a lot of authors have to start all over again and earn my trust. That being said, here are the authors I'd buy anything from in no order.

1) Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty)- She has proven over and over again that I can trust her with taking me on an amazing adventure. Whether she is throwing me knee-deep in an historical piece or making me laugh until I cry, she has always delivered for me and I will always by her stuff (and stuff).

2) Veronica Roth (Divergent)- I was blown away with my love of this book. With Tris's amazing strength and likable personality. Because I fell so hard for the world she created and I believe in her writing, I'll buy anything Ms. Roth throws at me.

3) Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games)- I know a lot of people weren't fans of the last book but I believe she had major guts to take it where she did. The three books in The Hunger Games series never ceased to surprise me and made me hold my breath the entire time I was reading them. Auto-buy for me.

4) Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me)- This is a huge leap for me. I haven't actually read anything but the first book (though I have and want to read the second). It's purely about the beauty of Mafi's writing that will keep me coming back. She shocks me with her prose. I sit up and want to lock away each sentence so that it becomes a part of me.

5) Michelle Hodkin (The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer)- I love the Mara Dyer series because it is creepy and I can never tell what is real and what is going on in her head. That's a perfect blend for me and oh-so-hard to achieve from a writing standpoint.

6) Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver)- Stiefvater is one of those YA authors I've been reading from the beginning. She brought me into YA and I've stuck with her. Though I haven't read all of her books, I have them all and each of them look interesting in a surprising way.

7) Kimberly Derting (The Body Finder)-It's pretty difficult to keep a character fresh while keeping their same likability for four books. I've read three so far and I'm still so in love with her characters and her world. It'll definitely keep me coming back for future reads.

8) Maria V Snyder (Poison Study)- Before the Poison Study series was in YA, it was in fantasy. I stumbled across it in fantasy and loved every last drop. I went to the book store frequently to see if the next book was out (back before I had a clue I could look up release dates online) and freaked out when I finally found the second and third book on shelves. Because of her beautiful world and kick ass characters, I'll always keep coming back for more.

Which authors made your list?

In My Mailbox 109

In my mailbox is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren that encourages other book bloggers to share what they bought, won, begged for or borrowed. It is usually held on Sundays!

From signings:

• Signed Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood
• Signed Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (for a giveaway!)
• Signed Black City by Elizabeth Harris
• Signed Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

From Tor:

• Firebrand by Gillian Philip

From Pegiun:

• Arc of Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan
• Arc of Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike

From Harper Teen:

• The Trouble with Flirting by Claire LaZebnik

I want to thank all the epic publishing houses for sending me copies and all the equally epic authors for going forth and signing books. 

What did you get this week?

Movie Review: Beautiful Creatures

This review is a little late because I wanted to see the movie twice before passing any kind of concrete judgment on it. The truth is, Beautiful Creatures is not very much like the book it is inspired from. It uses the same characters but their roles are very different and the ending is almost completely different. I wanted to give myself some time to really reflect on that and decide what I thought.

And I know that I liked it. A lot.

I don't think the movie is better than the book but I don't think the book is better than the movie either. Some of the things they omitted from the movie I missed but I thought the editing they did to the plot really worked to the movies advantage and the acting was stellar.

I know that a lot of times people hope they cast unknowns in the lead roles but I'm not one of those. I'd prefer to see established actors in the roles of the character's I love. But Alden Ehrenreich (Ethan Wate) and Alice Englert (Lena Duchannes rhymes with rain) proved me wrong and now I'm a believer. Seriously, these actors were oozing chemistry and delivered lines that would have been cheesy from any other mouth but were believable from them.

I thought that Ehrenreich was particularly skilled at saying things like "I've been dreaming of you for months" and "no matter what they do, no matter what they do to me, I'm still here" with such passion and emotion and charm you couldn't help but believe it. He was skilled at the awkward with his funny little laugh and with shock and with passion. I kept being blown away with the way he delivered line after line like he believed it himself. It's something I haven't seen in a long time and something I really appreciated. I also thought his Southern accent was spot on. I first I was pretty sure I was going to get annoyed but a few minutes into the movie and I didn't even notice it. Felt completely natural.

Alice Englert (Lena) had an even harder time with me. See, I wasn't crazy about book Lena. I liked her okay but I didn't understand her motivations and she ended up confusing me even more than she confused Ethan. But Englert made me love Lena. She was charming and sweetly awkward and fiercely strong all at the flip of a switch. Particularly the times when she was fighting her dark nature. They could have been really bad but she kept it in check with just an edge of insanity. Just a glimmer. And it worked so well. Again, I believed in her. Because I did, it allowed me to believe in them together. I was right there with them when they were fighting, when they were talking and when they were just hanging out.

What made me believe in this movie before I saw it was the cast of established actors they had to back up the newbies. You've got Viola Davis who I'll love in pretty much any role who does a great job of being both Amma and Marian, Jeremy Irons was just creepy enough to portray Macon, Emmy Rossum was a wonderfully bad (in an oh-so-good way) Ridley and Emma Thompson was downright delicious as Ms. Lincoln/Sarafine.

The scenery was just...oh, I could look at the scenery they created forever and ever. Seriously, the outside of the Ravenwood mansion was the perfect haunted house, the echo of the book covers in the wrought iron gate, the grandeur and clean lines of the inside of the Ravenwood mansion that was every changing with the season were all just perfect. All this coupled with the lazy spanish moss clinging to the trees, the bright green forest wrapping around the little town and the old houses. As it was in the book, Gaitlin was thoroughly and wonderfully represented on the big screen.

So now onto the thing that changed the most... the plot. There I sat in the theater, fresh off the novel, thinking I knew everything in the world that was going to happen. And then I was surprised over and over as things were changed. Anyone that read my review of the book knows I had some problems with the length and in turn, some of the plotting. I felt the book was a little convoluted and I'm still not completely sure what happened at the end. The movie did a wonderful job of streamlining and simplifying the plot. It was a lot clearer and a lot easier to understand in my opinion. I won't go into the exact changes but I will say that everything fit together better for me and the character's role were a little clearer. The one thing I really wish they would have added into the movie from the book is Lena and Ethan's ability to communicate telepathically with each other. It would have made the final scene make a lot more sense.

Over all, I think this was a well written, well cast and very well acted movie that stayed true to the spirit of the book. For me, that's really all you can ask for. If you haven't seen it, I'd suggest going and if you have, I'd love to hear what you thought about it.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Characters in Dystopian

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week, they post a subject and the goal is to answer the question with your top ten picks. Once you've done it, link back to The Broke and the Bookish and check out what other bloggers have to say!

Top Ten Characters in Dystopian

This was a tough one to choose because I read a good variety of genres but when I really thought about it, a lot of my favorite characters come from this one. So here's my list.

1) Tris from Divergent by Veronica Roth- What can I say about Tris? She's small, overlooked and fiercely determined. I love how she never wavers, how she does what she thinks is right even when it's hard. She's so tough but also so easy to relate to. She is definitely one of my favorite characters ever.

2) Four from Divergent by Veronica Roth- You can't have one half without the other. Four sees the value in Tris's strength which makes him wonderful. He respects her to make her own decisions while he makes the ones he feels necessary. He's a little rough around the edges but not too tough to admit he has feelings. 

3) Katniss from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins- The odds are never in Katniss's favor but she just keeps trying and trying. This girl can get through anything it is because of her grit and tough-as-nails additude that she is on this list. I knew Katniss would find a way through anything.

4) Peeta from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins- Peeta is just as tough but in a completely different way. Peeta manages to keep his humanity even in the worst situations which allows him to care for Katniss. I love how gentle-natured he was at heart and how that was shown as a strength in the novel too. Sweet and smart. Is there anything better?

5) Aria from Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi- I loved watching Aria develop strength and understanding throughout UtNS. She starts out being so weak minded but through the things they are put through, she starts to realize just how strong she can be.

6) Perry from Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi- The strong silent type. Accept, we learn that he really isn't. Watching him open up to Aria and seeing the world through his eyes made me fall in love with him.

7) Roar from Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi- How can you not love Roar? He adds a fun, lightheartedness to what is otherwise, a pretty bleak world. It's even better when we get to read from his perspective in Roar and Liv.

8) Juliette from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi-Talk about a beautiful mind. The way Juliette thinks about everything demanded that I fall in love with her. She has such an awful reality, such an ugly curse and I love how it differs from her kind nature.

9) Adam from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi- In Shatter Me's world, if you find a moment of beauty, you have to hold onto it or what else will you have? He fights for Juliette and I love how sweet he is with his little brother.

10) Ky from Matched by Ally Condie- The way he keeps words like they are something precious had me from the beginning. I love that he is secretly teaching Cassia how to write. Definitely made him wonderful to me.

So those are the characters that made it onto my list. Who did you choose?

Happily Ever Endings...The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

Happily Ever Endings... was born out of sheer frustration. You know how when you read a series and you love it but the last book takes a little while to come out and then you sort of forget parts of the novel? That's what these posts are going to serve to remedy. Happily Ever Ending... is a short summary of a series novel so that you are ready for the next in the series!

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in. 

And then you're dead. 

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back. 

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest. 

Because how will she go on if there isn't? 

Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl’s bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series.

Click "Read more" to read the ending of The Way We Fall so you'll be ready for the next installment of the series!

Disney Themed Stained Glass

So I've been a little radio silent the last few days beccause I've been helping my hubby work on his business. But I figured I'd break this silence to share with you some awesome stained glass art I've been looking at. I'd kill to have collections of this stuff. Take a gander.

Disney Themed:

I love the Beauty and the Beast one. Which is your favorite?

Cover Alerts: Infinityglass, The Dream Thieves and Across a Star-Swept Sea

Several more covers were revealed today and I wanted to share them with you. Check them out and let me know what you think below!

Infinityglass by Myra McEntire

The stakes have risen even higher in this third book in the Hourglass series. 

The Hourglass is a secret organization focused on the study of manipulating time, and its members — many of them teenagers -­have uncanny abilities to make time work for them in mysterious ways. Inherent in these powers is a responsibility to take great care, because altering one small moment can have devastating consequences for the past, present, and future. But some time trav­elers are not exactly honorable, and sometimes unsavory deals must be struck to maintain order. 

With the Infinityglass (central to understanding and harnessing the time gene) at large, the hunt is on to find it before someone else does. 

But the Hourglass has an advantage. Lily, who has the ability to locate anything lost, has determined that the Infinityglass isn't an object. It's a person. And the Hourglass must find him or her first. But where do you start searching for the very key to time when every second could be the last?

Infinityglass is out July 9th 2013 by EgmontUSA.

Gorgeous, am I right? This entire series has had awesome covers so I'm not surprised to see how interesting this one is. I think the pose is so poetic and beautiful. The only thing that is a little off to me is the red dress and teal background. Not one of my favorite color combos but it isn't enough to make me dislike it. I love!

Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction—the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars—is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy. 

On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo… is her most dangerous mission ever. 

Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect. 

In this thrilling adventure inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel, Diana Peterfreund creates an exquisitely rendered world where nothing is as it seems and two teens with very different pasts fight for a future only they dare to imagine.

Across a Star-Swept Sea is out October 15th 2013 by Balzer + Bray.

Holy cover love! I think this is my favorite cover I've seen this year. Everything from the water splashing up to the gorgeous dress to the light blonde hair makes this cover magical. It's ultra girly and beautiful for it. I'm in hearts and kisses with this one.

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

The second installment in the all-new series from the masterful, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!

The Dream Thieves is out September 17th 2013 by Scholastic Press.

Yup guys. I realize that summary is a whole lot to go on. I mean, how can they tell the entire plot in one sentence? Oh wait, they can't. But look at that cover. I'm not usually a fan of drawn covers but this one is epic. I love that the bird are being absorbed by/coming out of him. The only thing I wish is that the title of the novel was bigger than the author's name but other than that, this is all kinds of awesome!

So what do you guys think about these three epic cover reveals?

Book Review: Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: EgmontUSA (January 22, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1606843214
ISBN-13: 978-1606843215
Series: No
Source: ARC provided by publisher
Cover: I think the cover is okay. If I saw it on the shelf, I would definitely pick it up and it really works having read the book. I think the blue eye is gorgeous and I like the smoke on the bottom right hand side. So not amazing but definitely not the worst cover I've seen.
First Sentence: Nine letters. Two words.

Mini-Review: This novel maybe about forgettable characters but you won't be likely to forget them!

Summary:

There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away.

That’s why they make the perfect assassins. 

The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated. 

Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.

Review:

Nobody combines a very interesting premise, awesome characters, high stakes and an intense plot that suffers from some pacing problems. I'm always going to love a book that makes me want to talk to people about it and in this regard, Nobody is truly a success. I keep thinking about this concept even several weeks later but I realize that this book isn't without its faults.

I really enjoyed Claire and Nix. I know some people have felt Claire was weird just for the sake of being weird but I thought she was a very fleshed out character. See, Claire's a Nobody, as in she's genetically forgettable. People can't help but overlook her. But she has no idea about this and tries to figure out ways to get noticed. I love that she made up situations in her mind because we all do this to some extent. We always think what would happen if... and Claire just takes the fantasies further, allows herself to dwell in them. I know that when I'm feeling down, I often do the same thing. The entire first half of the novel was tricky from her point of view. There was a delicate balance that had to be struck between Claire trying to be strong by not falling for her assassin (thus doing something dumb) and having feelings for him anyway because he notices her. I'm not sure how much this worked, especially in the cabin scene, but for the most part I thought it was handled well.

Nix was something all on his own. I'm not sure I've ever read another character like him but I think that's what made me look forward to his point of view more. At first, I wasn't impressed because he was a cutter and so dramatic about everything. But as I continued on with him, I found it interesting how he related everything outside from himself. His narration of his own life, even when things were happening to him, made sense and made for a really great angle. Scenes follow him were my favorite.

At first, their romance didn't really work for me because it happens fast and because they go from assassin/target to lovers in a snap. But as the story wore on and considering their circumstances, I definitely started to get their attraction to each other. I did wonder though if falling in love with the only other person in the world that can see you is romantic or kind of just convenient. However, I did love them together and I felt their bond deepen more as the book wore on. I just wish it had deepened slowly instead of starting too quick and then trying to back off.

My favorite thing about the novel was all the science that went behind Nobodies and Null because I believed it. Energy pushing energy has a direct reaction but if someone is lacking energy then a reaction would lack as well. This is the explanation for the nobody and it really worked for me. I loved learning about how these characters had their magic and how they could use it. I also really admired the simplicity of the writing. Nix's voice especially, was so unique and felt truly special while still very plain.

The first 100 pages blending together and I rushed past them in a blur. I couldn't stop reading. But I found that the middle felt a bit heavy. I think my biggest problem with pacing was that I couldn't figure out the scale of the novel. How far did the Society reach? The way it was portrayed made it seem small even though it was supposed to be big and Nix and Claire trying to find out did seem to lag just a little. However, as soon as I saw the end game, as soon as the stakes were set up again, I found that I couldn't put the book down. The ending is exciting and while it is fulfilling, I liked that it was also a little unsettling. I wasn't sure if I should be happy or uneasy which has made the novel have a lasting impression on me.

As you can see from the review, there were some things about Nobody that really worked for me and others that were lacking. While I go back and forth on a few things, I can honestly say that I haven't been able to stop thinking about this novel since I finished it. The science behind nobodies and Claire and Nix's sweet romance definitely made this an enjoyable read.

Rating:

Favorite Lines:

Claire Ryan was a ghost, a nothing, a nobody. Invisible would have been an upgrade.

-Pg. 5 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Even as children, Nulls' hugs were empty. They were unmoved when Mommy accidentally sliced open her finger. Instead of reaching for the Band-Aids, they leaned forward to get a better look.

-Pg. 36 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The resurrection of a dream was almost as hard as watching it die.

-Pg. 107 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Nix shook his head. The movement hypnotized Claire, and it took her a moment to decode its meaning as something other than his dance to her song.

-Pg. 173 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

If she closed her her eyes, he might disappear. Not because he chose to--he'd said he wouldn't leave, and she believed him--but because Happily Ever After didn't happen to girls like Claire.

-Pg. 250 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Emotions? Useless in a fight. The biochemical jolt that came with them? Gold.

-Pg. 276 of an ARC of "Nobody" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Cover Alerts: Deception, The Chaos of Stars, The Falconer and more

A boatload of covers have popped onto the web recently and it is so my job to show you all these lovelies. So look onto these covers and be amazed!

Deception by C.J. Redwine

Baalboden has been ravaged. The brutal Commander's whereabouts are unknown. And Rachel, grief stricken over her father's death, needs Logan more than ever. With their ragged group of survivors struggling to forge a future, it's up to Logan to become the leader they need—with Rachel by his side. Under constant threat from rival Carrington's army, who is after the device that controls the Cursed One, the group decides to abandon the ruins of their home and take their chances in the Wasteland.

 

But soon their problems intensify tenfold: someone—possibly inside their ranks—is sabotaging the survivors, picking them off one by one. The chaos and uncertainty of each day puts unbearable strain on Rachel and Logan, and it isn't long before they feel their love splintering. Even worse, as it becomes clear that the Commander will stop at nothing to destroy them, the band of survivors begins to question whether the price of freedom may be too great—and whether, hunted by their enemies and the murderous traitor in their midst, they can make it out of the Wasteland alive. 


In this daring sequel to Defiance, with the world they once loved forever destroyed, Rachel and Logan must decide between a life on the run and standing their ground to fight.

 Deception is out August 27th 2013 by Balzer + Bray.

I love this cover. The first one depicted Rachel as fearless and strong but this one looks a lot more vulnerable. Her face is still determined and I still wouldn't mess with her but the pose is a lot softer. I also love the dark color. A total winner for me!

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up. 

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal. 

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

The Chaos of Stars is out September 10th 2013 by HarperTeen.

I'm not usually a fan of books with just the title on them but I think this one was done really nicely and is going to look stellar in person. I love the deep blue night background and the gold lettering. Another win for me.

The Falconer by Elizabeth May

Lady Aileana Kameron can sing, paint prettily, and murder the fae as easily as dancing a waltz. But how far is she prepared to go for vengeance . . . ? 

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844 

18-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined to a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s social events – right up until a faery kills her mother. 

Now it’s the 1844 winter season. Between a seeming endless number of parties, Aileana slaughters faeries in secret. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, every night she sheds her aristocratic facade and goes hunting. She’s determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city’s many dark alleyways. 

But she never even considered that she might become attracted to one. To the magnetic Kiaran MacKay, the faery who trained her to kill his own kind. Nor is she at all prepared for the revelation he’s going to bring. Because Midwinter is approaching, and with it an eclipse that has the ability to unlock a Fae prison and begin the Wild Hunt. 

A battle looms, and Aileana is going to have to decide how much she’s willing to lose – and just how far she’ll go to avenge her mother’s murder.

The Falconer is out September 19th 2013 by Chronicle Books.

I'm not sure if this is bad ass or corny so I'm going to say it falls somewhere in the middle. While the girl in the dress looks kind of silly, I also think she looks pretty killer with her steampunk-like gun and sword and the explosion behind her. I'll take it.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

COLDTOWN WAS DANGEROUS, TANA KNEW. A GLAMOROUS CAGE, A PRISON FOR THE DAMNED AND ANYONE WHO WANTED TO PARTY WITH THEM. 

Tana lived in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave. 

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is out September 17th 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

This one I'm filing away in the chin scratching category. While I think the idea is cool because the hand looks dead and I love that the title of the book is tattooed on the hand, I'm not sure there is anything exciting about the hand. I wouldn't run over to this book on the shelf because it was beautiful. But I would run over because it's odd. I don't think that's a bad thing because I'd still take a look.

The Night Itself by Zoe Marriott 

A breathtaking new urban fantasy trilogy from the critically acclaimed, award winning author of The Swan Kingdom and Shadows on the Moon. 

When fifteen year old Mio Yamato furtively sneaks the katana - an ancestral Japanese sword - out of its hiding place in her parent's attic to help liven up her Christmas party costume, she has no idea of the darkness she is about to unleash on modern day London, or the family secrets that she is going to uncover.
The paralysing paranoia that descends on her before she gets to her friend's party is her first clue. The vivid and terrifying visions that nearly get her killed are a pretty good warning too.
The giant nine-tailed cat demon that comes after the sword and tries to rip her throat out? Overkill. 

Seconds away from becoming kitty-food, Mio is saved by Shinobu, a mysterious warrior boy. But it's already too late. Mio has ruptured the veil between the mortal realm and the Underworld, and now the gods and monsters of ancient Japan stalk the streets of London, searching for her and the sword.

With the help of her best friend Jack, a fox spirit named Hikaru - and the devoted protection of the betwitchingly familiar Shinobu - Mio attempts to discover the true nature of the sword and its connection to the Yamato family. Because if she doesn't learn how to control the katana's incredible powers, she's in danger of being overwhelmed by them. And if she can't keep the sword safe from the terrible creatures who want it for their own, she'll lose not only her own life... but the love of a lifetime.

The Night Itself is out July 4th 2013 by Walker Books.

I'm in love with this cover. I love the drawn style of it and even the odd swirling pink tentacle things. This is just all sorts of right for me.

The Shadowhunters' Codex by Cassandra Clare and Joshua Lewis

The Clave is pleased to announce the newest edition of the Nephilim’s oldest and most famous training manual: the Shadowhunter’s Codex. Since the thirteenth century, the Codex has been the young Shadowhunter’s best friend. When you’re being swarmed by demons it can be easy to forget the finer points of obscure demon languages or the fastest way to stop an attack of Raum demons. With the Codex by your side, you never have to worry. 

Now in its twenty-seventh edition, the Codex covers it all: the history and the laws of our world; how to identify, interact with, and if necessary, kill that world’s many colorful denizens; which end of the stele is the end you write with. No more will your attempt to fight off rogue vampires and warlocks be slowed by the need to answer endless questions from your new recruits: What is a Pyxis? Why don’t we use guns? If I can’t see a warlock’s mark, is there a polite way to ask him where it is? Where do we get all our holy water? Geography, History, Magic, and Zoology textbook all rolled into one, the Codex is here to help new Shadowhunters navigate the beautiful, often brutal world that we inhabit. 

Do not let it be said that the Clave is outdated or, as the younger Shadowhunters say, “uncool”: this new edition of the Codex will be available not only in the usual magically-sealed demonskin binding, but also in a smart, modern edition using all of today’s most exciting printing techniques, including such new features as a sturdy clothbound cover, a protective dust jacket, and information about title, author, publisher, and so on conveniently available right on the cover. You’ll be pleased to know that it fits neatly into most satchels, and unlike previous editions, it rarely sets off alarm wards. 

The old woodcuts and engravings have been replaced as well: instead, you’ll find lavish modern illustrations by some of the brightest luminaries of the fantastic. Creatures, weapons, people, and places have been carefully and accurately rendered by the likes of Rebecca Guay, Charles Vess, Jim Nelson, Theo Black, Elisabeth Alba, and Cassandra Jean. Chapters are beautifully introduced by the drawings of Michael Kaluta, and along with our condensation of the classic 2,450-page tome, A History of the Nephilim, you will find a selection of the best of the lovely illustrations of that volume by John Dollar. 

This edition of the Codex will be available in Institute libraries and what mundanes sometimes call “book stores” in [SEPTEMBER], 2013.

The Shadowhunters' Codex is out September 2013 by Simon and Schuster.

This cover is okay for me. I think it looks similar to the other books which is great but you also must realize that I'm a Whovian. As a Whovian, I'm terrified of angel statues so I really try not to look at this one.

The Oathbreaker's Shadow by Amy McCulloch

Fifteen-year-old Raim lives in a world where you tie a knot for every promise that you make. Break that promise and you are scarred for life, and cast out into the desert. 

Raim has worn a simple knot around his wrist for as long as he can remember. No one knows where it came from, and which promise of his it symbolises, but he barely thinks about it at all—not since becoming the most promising young fighter ever to train for the elite Yun guard. But on the most important day of his life, when he binds his life to his best friend (and future king) Khareh, the string bursts into flames and sears a dark mark into his skin. 

Scarred now as an oath-breaker, Raim has two options: run, or be killed. 

A gripping YA action-adventure fantasy, the first part of a planned duology.

The Oathbreaker's Shadow is out June 4th 2013 by Random House Children's Publishers.

This cover looks a lot like something found in the adult fantasy which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I love the guy's pose and the really cool weapon. Plus the background is awesome. I think the only thing I don't like about this one is it's not really my taste but that doesn't make it bad.

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

The Bone Season begins in 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. She works as an envoy between secret cells: she drops in an out of people's minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant, and in her world, the world of Scion, she commits high treason simply by breathing. It is raining the day her life changes forever. Attacked, kidnapped and transported to Oxford, a city that has been kept secret for two hundred years, she meets Warden, a Rephaite with dark honey skin and heavy-lidded yellow eyes. He is the single most beautiful and frightening thing she has every laid eyes on – and he will become her "keeper".

The Bone Season is out September 2nd 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing.

I have got to stop saying things in this post because I keep proving myself wrong. I say I don't like covers that only have the title but I love this one too. The symbol behind the book is just understated enough to be interesting and I love that this is a book a boy wouldn't mind carrying around too. Love it!

Thornhill by Kathleen Peacock

Mac can’t lose another friend. Even if he doesn’t want to be found. 

The ripple effect caused by Mac’s best friend Amy’s murder has driven Mac’s new love, Kyle, to leave Hemlock and disappear from her life forever. But Mac knows that Kyle plans to enroll in a rehabilitation camp, where he can live with other werewolves. She refuses to accept his decision, especially since the camps are rumored to be tortuous. So she sets out in search of Kyle with a barely sober Jason—and Amy’s all-seeing ghost—in tow. 

Clues lead Mac to find Kyle in a werewolf den in Colorado—but their reunion is cut short by a Tracker raid. Now Mac and Kyle are trapped inside the electric fences of Thornhill, a camp for young werewolves. As she devises an escape plan, Mac uncovers dangerous secrets buried within the walls of Thornhill—and realizes that the risk to the people she loves is greater than ever before.

Thornhill is out  September 10th 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books.

I'm not super impressed with this cover. Nothing about it jumps out at me which is sad because I really liked the first one.

Teardrop by Lauren Kate

Never, ever cry. . . . Eureka Boudreaux's mother drilled that rule into her daughter years ago. But now her mother is gone, and everywhere Eureka goes he is there: Ander, the tall, pale blond boy who seems to know things he shouldn't, who tells Eureka she is in grave danger, who comes closer to making her cry than anyone has before. 

But Ander doesn't know Eureka's darkest secret: ever since her mother drowned in a freak accident, Eureka wishes she were dead, too. She has little left that she cares about, just her oldest friend, Brooks, and a strange inheritance—a locket, a letter, a mysterious stone, and an ancient book no one understands. The book contains a haunting tale about a girl who got her heart broken and cried an entire continent into the sea. Eureka is about to discover that the ancient tale is more than a story, that Ander might be telling the truth . . . and that her life has far darker undercurrents than she ever imagined. From Lauren Kate comes an epic saga of heart-stopping romance, devastating secrets, and dark magic . . . a world where everything you love can be washed away.

Teardrop is out October 22nd 2013 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers.

I guess they decided to stick with what works for this author and that would be beautiful dresses. However, I think this might be the most beautiful dress I've seen. Everything about this cover is girly and gorgeous  I love it. I'm especially surprised and happy they made her skin disappear into water. So interesting!

What do you think about all these new covers? Favorites?