August New Releases: Part 2

Newly released books this August

*cover image links to Goodreads*

Shooting Scars (The Artists Trilogy #2) by Karina Halle Published: August 20, 2013 _____ Sometimes the right choice can be the deadliest. When Ellie Watt made the ultimate sacrifice for Camden McQueen, she never thought it would be easy. But walking away with her ex-lover, Javier Bernal, in order to ensure Camden’s safety has brought a whole new set of dangers. With Javier’s plans for Ellie growing more secretive by the moment, Ellie must find a way to stay ahead of the game before her past swallows her whole. Meanwhile, Camden’s new life is short-lived. Fueled by revenge and pursued by authorities, he teams up with an unlikely partner in order to save Ellie. But as Camden toes the line between love and retribution, he realizes that in order to get back the woman he loves, he may have to lose himself in the process. He might just turn into the very man he’s hunting. Told in dual POV from Camden and Ellie.

Review: The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

The Girl with the Iron Touch
(Steampunk Chronicles #3)
by Kady Cross
Published: May 28, 2013




In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken.

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives.

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin.

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine.

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has....

Music and Lyrics (12): Ellie Goulding

I love her voice, I love her songs, I love Ellie Goulding. 

I really liked Lights when I first heard it years ago but I didn't really put too much attention to it then. When Anything Could Happen came out last year, of course I loved it and that song was a really big hit which made me curious about the singer and her other songs. That's when I found out that she was also the one who sang Lights. Her songs are what's currently on repeat in my music playlist.

Here are a few of my favorites and you really should listen to them!

Review: Written in Red by Anne Bishop

Written in Red
(The Others #1)
by Anne Bishop
Published: March 5, 2013




No one creates realms like New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop. Now in a thrilling new fantasy series, enter a world inhabited by the Others, unearthly entities—vampires and shape-shifters among them—who rule the Earth and whose prey are humans.

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

From Page to Film: The Mortal Instruments - City of Bones

Confession time. When I read City of Bones 2 years ago I did not finish it *covers self*. Not really, but I did not entirely read the whole book. It's not because it was bad (okay, maybe a little) but halfway through I just got a little impatient and scanned the rest. That did not stop me from checking out Cassie Clare's other series The Infernal Devices. And that one I ABSOLUTELY LOVED.

Watch the movie trailer!

Now for most of us, the book is almost always better than the movie. We tend to compare the two word by freaking word if it comes to that. We can't help it. I can't help it. And most of the time we end up disappointed especially if the movie was based from a beloved book. I didn't have any intention of re-reading City of Bones before watching the movie and basing on the fact that I partially read the book a long time ago, this rant/review is pretty much based on the movie alone. I can remember the characters of the book for the most part; the background of the story, vaguely; the story line of the first book and the exact flow, not so much.

First and foremost, the casting is AWESOME! 

Review: Fire Country by David Estes

Fire Country
Country Saga #1
by David Estes
Published: January 29, 2013



In a changed world where the sky bleeds red, winter is hotter than hell and full of sandstorms, and summer's even hotter with raging fires that roam the desert-like country, the Heaters manage to survive, barely.

Due to toxic air, life expectancies are so low the only way the tribe can survive is by forcing women to procreate when they turn sixteen and every three years thereafter. It is their duty as Bearers.

Fifteen-year-old Siena is a Youngling, soon to be a Bearer, when she starts hearing rumors of another tribe of all women, called the Wild Ones. They are known to kidnap Youngling girls before the Call, the ceremony in which Bearers are given a husband with whom to bear children with.

As the desert sands run out on her life's hourglass, Siena must uncover the truth about the Wild Ones while untangling the web of lies and deceit her father has masterfully spun.

August New Releases: Part 1

Newly released books this August

*cover image links to Goodreads*

Infinityglass  (Hourglass #3) by Myra McEntire Published: August 6, 3012 The Book Depository _____ 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?

Book Covers Revealed!

I've seen a lot of covers revealed recently, or have been for a while but I just haven't noticed it yet, and I can't help but get even more excited about the book. More than I did when I finished reading the one before it. The first cover that made me all gushy and impatient when I saw it was:

Review: Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

Carnival of Souls
(Untamed City #1)
by Melissa Marr
Published: September 4, 2012




In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures—if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father—and every other witch there—fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable.While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.

From Melissa Marr, bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series and Graveminder, comes a brand-new tale of lush secrets, dark love, and the struggle to forge one's own destiny.

Scarlet vs Scarlet: A Book Discussion

I honestly have no idea what I want to post today. Right now, I am thinking about what I usually post on Saturdays which is my monthly book haul but it isn't the end of the month yet. Then I remembered what my sister told me a few days back and decided to write something random.. not really. It's still book related but nothing important.

So. My sister asks me for book-to-read-next recommendations 98% of the time. And when she asked me that recently, I told her to read Cinder by Marissa Meyer which is the first book I read this year and that I really loved it. She loved it too, of course, so she recommended it to her friend who loved it as well. Anyone who read and loved Cinder would immediately look for the sequel Scarlet which was what she did. Lucky her, I have it in paperback and e-book. And while she prefers to read it in physical copy, she opted to lend her friend the one in e-book form when her friend asked if she have a copy she could borrow. Thing is, I have two books in my reader with the title Scarlet and the one by A.C. Gaughen would be first on the list which my sister didn't know so I guess that's the one she let her friend read without checking out the details.

Both books are so good so no regrets, but what happened was.. according to my sister, she and her friend were hanging out together; she was done reading, her friend is ALMOST done.. and then they're talking.

FRIEND: This is really good. It's like Robin Hood.
MY SISTER: *confused* You mean.. Red Riding Hood, right?
F: *confused* No. It's really Robin Hood.

*discussing their fave parts in the book - which doesn't make sense until..*

MS: I don't remember that part but I really loved Scarlet and Wolf's parts..
F: Why haven't I met Wolf yet?
MS: What? But you're almost finished..

dun-duh-duh-duuuuun...

MS: What book are you reading?!

dun-dun-dun-duuun..

No harm done, since her friend was now obsessed with Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen, its beautiful cover and later discovered her love for GIFs in reviews. Now my sister is the one reading it, obsessing with the cover and endlessly gushing about it to me. It's exhausting :)

Review: The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar 
(Steampunk Chronicles #2)
by Kady Cross
Published: May 22, 2012




In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling-or dangerous Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper from the clutches of a devious criminal demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves. One false move from Jasper, and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens and tightens. From the rough streets of lower Manhattan to elegant Fifth Avenue, the motley crew of teens follows Jasper's elusive trail. And they're about to discover how far they'll go for friendship. More than ever, Finley must rely on powerful English duke Griffin King to balance her dark magic with her good side. Yet Griffin is at war with himself over his secret attraction to Finley...and will risk his life and reputation to save her. Now, to help those she's come to care for so deeply, Finley must infiltrate the criminal gang. Only problem is, she might like the dark side a little too much...

Cover Reveal: The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan

The last book's cover will be revealed in two seconds. There's no more delaying it. This series is really ending! Ryn! And Violet! Okay, I'll save the drama when the book is actually out but for now, let us give a round of applause to Ms. Morgan for her wonderful books and their equally wonderful covers. I really really love this series. You should know that by now, and if you still haven't read it, I don't know what you're waiting for. Here's a little push: READ MY REVIEW OF THE FAERIE GUARDIAN (Book 1) and THE FAERIE PRINCE (Book 2)!!!

And now.. *drumrolls please* Prepare yourselves for pure awesome-ness!

Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

The Girl in the Steel Corset
(Steampunk Chronicles #1)
by Kady Cross
Published: May 24, 2011




In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one...except the "thing" inside her.When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no "normal" Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch....

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of "them." The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help--and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on--even if it seems no one believes her.

August TBR Pile

Yeah. I made another monthly TBR list. I'm still positive that sometime in the future, or hopefully this month, I will be able to read EVERYTHING I've included in it. Last month out of the 10 books that were on my list, I only read 4. Sad but true. Anyway, here are the books I am planning going to read this August:

Life in Outer Space
by Melissa Keil

Goodreads | The Book Depository

Sam Kinnison is a geek, and he’s totally fine with that. He has his horror movies, his nerdy friends, World of Warcraft – and until Princess Leia turns up in his bedroom, he doesn’t have to worry about girls.

Then Sam meets Camilla. She’s beautiful, friendly and completely irrelevant to his life. Sam is determined to ignore her, except that Camilla has a life of her own – and she’s decided that he’s going to be part of it.

Sam believes that everything he needs to know he can learn from the movies ... but now it looks like he’s been watching the wrong ones.

July Reads + Monthly Recap

July had been a busy month. We had our exams and lots of other school activities which I have mentioned in one of my previous posts and it made blogging a little impossible. I was also in a bit of reading slump. Who wouldn't when you only get to read 10 pages or so before you're interrupted for something again and again. I even attempted a Siege and Storm read-a-long with my sister but that was also a fail on my part. Aside from the fact that I am a really slow reader and she the opposite, there's also the 'someone is looking for you' or the 'I gotta go do something and stuff'. So yeah, I gave up and just read the book whenever I found the time.

I also failed to read my TBR Jar picks. Most of my reads these month were e-books since I always have my reader with me and even those I read for a minimum of 2 days each but physical books is another story. The only time I ever get to spend inside my house is from 10PM to 6AM max which meant I didn't get to spend much of it with the books on my shelves aside from a few which are for review and reading challenges which I prioritized. So I ran out of time but no matter. Carnival of Souls and Taste will be my first reads this August. 

So in total, I read 10 books and 2 novellas this month. Not bad.