Getting Caught Up: Angelfire + ARC Giveaway

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Published: Katherine Tegen Books (February 15, 2011)
Audience: Young Adult
Source: For Review, Also purchased a copy
Young Adult * Urban Fantasy * Paranormal

Description from Goodreads:

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.


Although I'm quite a few months late, I finally read and enjoyed Angelfire from debut author Courtney Allison Moulton. This was highly buzzed about during the months leading up to its released and Angelfire was one of those novels that I knew I would like before I read it. I liked that it was urban fantasy -- I love paranormal stories that have more active female heroines with paranormal elements happening in big cities. I liked how the world of Angelfire seemed to coexist with the world of present-day Detroit. One of the novel's strengths I think was the world-building. I fully understood the rules and intricacies of this paranormal world. Although some of the angel mythology (one of my favorite paranormal "creatures") was familiar from religion/folklore and other novels, there was a lot of originality incorporated into Angelfire that Moulton did a great job of explaining and developing. In Angelfire, beyond just angels, Heaven, Hell, and the usual, there is a dimension called The Grim, creatures called reapers, a general creepiness that makes this probably the most unique 'angel book' I've ever read. Not to sound morbid, but I really loved the darkness and violence of this world.

The characters were also very well-developed. I'm usually attracted to the male lead in most books, but I am completely sincere when I say that Will is probably one of my new book boyfriends. I really liked his history as a character, and the quirks and characterization was really well done. Not too much brooding, not too much bravado. I loved him! Ellie, our protagonist was likable too. For the most part she was strong without being aggressive and her relationship with Will was sweet. I was mostly intrigued by the guys in Angelfire, though. Ellie's dad is a character I couldn't quite wrap my head around. His relationship with Ellie is so complex and much more dynamic than her relationship with her mother. I kept waiting for something to be revealed about him... I guess I'll have to wait for the next two books to see if I'm just being paranoid. Similarly, Will's friend, Nathaniel, and archrival, Cadan (who won't really have a large role until later in the series) were interesting and well-rounded. Even the male villain piqued my interest. Moulton just does a great job with characters, especially male characters.

The plot was also very interesting. It developed at a great pace -- I almost couldn't put the novel down -- and there are several revelations near the end that came out of left field... in a good way! I love it when I can't instantly predict the trajectory of a series after the first book, which is the case with Angelfire. There is something about Angelfire that I can't put my finger on, but I just loved. There were some small issues I had with it. I felt that once Ellie realized her feelings for Will, her character lost some of her funny sassiness and became more fragile and on-the-verge-of-tears compared to the first half of the book. Also, Ellie's human life was left unresolved many times when jumping between her reaper duties and her regular life. There were a few other hiccups that bothered me, but at the same time I was really drawn to this story and its characters. I really liked it and can't wait for the sequel, Wings of the Wicked in 2012. I'd recommend this to fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen series and Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series.

Courtney Allison Moulton lives in Michigan, where she is a photographer and spends all her free time riding and showing horses. She has always loved reading about ancient mythologies, studying dead languages, and telling scary, romantic stories. Angelfire is her debut novel. You can follow her on twitter: @CAMoulton or on her blog: http://courtney-allison.blogspot.com/

Her official website is: courtneyallisonmoulton.com


Complete the form below for a chance to win an Advanced Reader Copy of Angelfire Please read contest rules carefully.

CONTEST RULES:

1. Please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (it will be deleted if you do), you must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.
2. The contest runs from July 28 to 11:59 PM Pacific Time on August 8, 2011.
3. You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.
4. If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail. If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.
5. This contest is open in US and Canada only. (Sorry international followers!)

Book Review: Anya's Ghost

Author/Illustrator: Vera Brosgol
Publisher: First Second Books (June 7, 2011)
Audience: Young Adult
Source: Purchased a copy
Graphic Novel * Paranormal * Young Adult 

Description from Goodreads:
Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part . . . Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century. Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs. Or so she thinks. Spooky, sardonic, and secretly sincere, Anya’s Ghost is a wonderfully entertaining debut from author/artist Vera Brosgol.

Last summer, I discovered the world of graphic novels, particularly those for children and teens. (Yes, they have been around for a long-time, but I was slow in catching up.)   As I made them a part of my regular book diet, I also found ways to use them in working with children.  Consequently, I have tried to take note of new releases.  One of those new releases that caught my eye was Vera Brosgol's debut graphic novel - Anya's Ghost.

One of the qualities in a graphic novel that appeals to me is the creator's ability to deal with elements of real life in a way that will connect with readers.  Brosgol's first book does exactly this.  Her debut deals with themes familiar to most teens - fitting in, crushes, family relationships & expectations, friendship, decisions & consequences, and also how all this is made more complicated by being an immigrant. However, Brosgol doesn't stop there.  The real twist comes with the introduction of a century old ghost who is more than eager and willing to be Anya's BFF.  

Another aspect of the book that made the story work for me was that Anya truly grows as a character.  Through her experiences and interactions with her new friend, Anya comes to learn more about herself, those around her and what is important in life.  This can be tricky in a YA story.  How do you talk about things like being responsible or making hard decisions without coming across as preachy?  Brosgol manages to do it with humor, and sincerity.  

I also loved Brosgol's illustrative style.  Here is where I struggle....I lack all the right words to best describe how the simple color scheme used throughout the book fits the mood and theme or how the art is engaging and fun.  I am sure that there is a way to do this but unfortunately, I seem to lack the right words.  Maybe the best way to share about Brosgol's style is to share with you the official book trailer.

Check out the official book trailer for Anya's Ghost:



I am excited to add Vera Brosgol to my list of graphic novelists to keep an eye on.  She has a solid debut and I look forward to future books from this talented artist and writer. 

Vera Brosgol details the process she used to create Anya's Ghost.  Click here to read it.

Here is an interview with Vera Brosgol by Macmillan: http://us.macmillan.com/author/verabrosgol
 
Check out Vera Brosgol's website:  www.verabee.com

Follow Vera Brosgol on Twitter: @verabee

Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verabee

Book Review: Starcrossed

Author: Josephine Angelini
Published: HarperTeen (May 31, 2011)
Audience: Young Adult
Source: Purchased a copy
Young Adult * Paranormal Romance * Greek Mythology

Description from Goodreads:

How do you defy destiny? 

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

There has been a lot of hype about Starcrossed. I've seen it explode everywhere, from the book-blogosphere to Goodreads, to dominating shelves in Borders and Barnes & Noble, so to say that I was a little intrigued would be an understatement. I started this book a few days ago just as something to pass the time while I packed, so I could get all the early boring backstory out of the way and dive into the meaty stuff while on vacation.... except the book never made it on the plane. I devoured Starcrossed in less than 24 hours. I was that absorbed by it. It was a very cute paranormal romance, but it also had some great fresh elements that made it stand out from the crowd -- especially the roots in Greek mythology.

One of the coolest things about this story was the Greek mythology. The protagonist, Helen, and her love interest, Lucas, are intertwined -- starcrossed lovers, actually, if you'll allow me the pun -- in a way that involves the old Greek stories. I won't spoil it for you, but I thought it was a very original concept, especially since Josephine Angelini didn't rely on the old vampire/werewolf/fallen angel/faerie standby. You don't have to know anything about Greek mythology to appreciate the story, but if you are familiar with some of the stories then you might catch some subtle references that the general reader might miss. As someone who knows very little about Greek mythology, I loved that every new plot development caught me by surprise and I wasn't able to anticipate where the story was going. (And when I did start to "figure it out," a few chapters later, I realized I was wrong.) My favorite element of young adult literature is usually the budding romance, but this is one of the few paranormal romance novels wherein I actually found myself more drawn to the plot action and world of the story than the boy-girl interaction.

I say this, but I also loved the Lucas-Helen interaction. I liked that their relationship didn't start off as a love at first sight scenario, when two days later they are professing the inability to breathe without each other. The relationship has a rather interesting start and grows at a believable pace, and they have such great chemistry on the page. I was particularly fond of Lucas and his story. Helen was also interesting, especially in how she comes to realize that she is part of the "paranormal" (or "Greek") world. Her hallucinations are genuinely creepy and information is revealed slowly, rather than building up to a "big reveal" chapter.

I just loved how Angelini paced the novel, always keeping you guessing, but never frustrating you... unless it was absolutely necessary. The characters were very interesting, especially in Lucas' family -- I loved Hector probably more than Lucas even -- and there are several exciting things that happen at the end that leave me on the edge of my seat. As someone who reads a lot of teen paranormal romance, I will admit that there were some elements of the romantic plotline that were similar to a couple other novels I've read, which is probably why I preferred the action plot that was totally unpredictable. I wouldn't call this a cliffhanger ending per se, but Starcrossed definitely ends as things are kicking up several notches. Just remembering those last 50 or so pages gets my heart racing. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend, especially to fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, Maggie Stiefvater's The Wolves of Mercy Falls series, and Shannon Delaney's 13 to Life series. A must-read for fans of paranormal romance, looking for something a cut above most and wildly original.

Josephine Angelini is a Massachusetts native and the youngest of eight siblings. A real-live farmer's daughter, Josie graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in Theater, with a focus on the classics. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband. Starcrossed is her first novel. You can follow her on twitter: @josieangelini or on her blog: http://www.josephineangelini.com/blog/

Her official website is: http://www.josephineangelini.com/

Book Review + Giveaway: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth
Published: Katherine Tegen Books (May 3, 2011)
Audience: Young Adult
Source: For Review, Also purchased a copy
Young Adult * Dystopian

Description from Goodreads:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.  


Firstly, I want to mention that it's not my habit to compare all YA dystopians to The Hunger Games series (just like I don't try to compare all YA paranormal romances to Twilight). That being said, if you're looking for a YA dystopian that matches the intensity and high stakes of Suzanne Collins' series, then Divergent is the series for you. This is the exciting first installment in what looks to be a very exciting new trilogy. I loved Divergent right from the start. One of the really outstanding features that makes this series better than some others that I've read is Veronica Roth's spectacular world-building. The government and societal structure is so well explained and elaborate. I loved how everyone is divided into one of five factions -- Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite -- and your faction is more important than your family. Sometimes I find that stories really develop characters, while the world the characters live in is under-developed; but this world is well thought out and complex. Instead of just one corrupt government, there are five different factions, therefore five different groups with five different stories. You never know who to trust, which makes it very exciting.

Divergent isn't all about a cool concept, though. The characters are really fabulous, people you can really empathize with and root for. Tris, the protagonist, is very tough and headstrong, making her a very strong female lead. She, along with her friends Christina, Will, and Al, faces a dangerous initiation into her new faction and learns that something isn't right with all the factions... and that something might not be so right with her either. All of the characters are multi-dimensional and well-developed. I can feel the insecurity masked by bravado when Tris does something stupid and I can sympathize with her friends when they say harsh things to her out of jealousy. They all had interesting back stories and secrets. I especially loved Tris' mother and brother, who were so richly characterized. The characters felt like such real people in Divergent that sometimes I even got a little annoyed with their actions, but I really appreciated the realness of them.

My favorite character, though, was Four, Tris' instructor, who helps her through her initiation. I loved every scene Four and Tris shared; there is always so much tension between the two of them -- good and bad. Four was my favorite because he wasn't a brooding romantic lead, but an intelligent, talented male character with several secrets, like how he got the nickname Four, and who he was before he became 'Four.'

Divergent does a nice job of including some romance in an otherwise adventurous, heart-pounding thriller without overwhelming the story with sappy moments. For that reason, I definitely think that Divergent will be enjoyed by both boys and girls. The stakes are high and the author isn't afraid to take risks. Several important and interesting characters die and the novel ends on a high note, making the wait for its sequel, Insurgent, nearly unbearable. I highly recommend this novel... it has been one of my favorite reads of 2011 so far.

 Veronica Roth is only 22, so her bio will be short. She’s from a Chicago suburb. She studied creative writing at Northwestern University, and wrote Divergent, her YA dystopian thriller (Katherine Tegen Books, May 2011!), while she was supposed to be doing homework. This was a decidedly good choice that will unfortunately make it difficult for her to someday lecture her future children on how important it is to get your homework done. You can follow her on twitter: @VeronicaRoth or on her blog: http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/





Complete the form below for a chance to win a hardcover copy of Divergent. Please read contest rules carefully.

CONTEST RULES:

1. Please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (it will be deleted if you do), you must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.
2. The contest runs from July 14 to 11:59 PM Pacific Time on July 22, 2011.
3. You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.
4. If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail. If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.
5. This contest is open INTERNATIONALLY (so tell your overseas pen pals) !!

Getting Caught Up: Desires of the Dead + ARC Giveaway!

Hey Guys!
Aly and I are excited to bring a new feature to the blog: Getting Caught Up. It's where we'll be reviewing or giving away books that are a couple months old. With so many great books coming out each week, sometimes you fall behind and realize that that hot new release has been sitting on your shelf for five months before you finally find a minute to read it. The first book I'm getting caught up on is Desires of the Dead, the sequel to Kimberly Derting's smash debut, The Body Finder!

Author: Kimberly Derting
Published: HarperTeen (February 15, 2011)
Audience: Young Adult
Source: For Review (Dark Days Supernatural Tour), Also purchased a copy
Young Adult * Mystery Thriller * Romance Fantasy

Description from GoodReads:

Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.


Desires of the Dead was a solid sequel to Kimberly Derting's best-selling debut The Body Finder. This second installment in the series begins a few months after the first novel ends, following the same protagonist, Violet Ambrose, whose ability to find dead bodies and their murderers through her special gift nearly cost her and her best friend-turned-boyfriend Jay's lives. In this novel, Violet and Jay have been dating steadily for a few months and adjusting to the new changes in their relationship now that it is no longer only platonic.

Violet and Jay's relationship is one of my favorite things about this series. Kimberly Derting writes young romance in such a believable way -- their conversations and arguments sound so real, like actual exchanges that I can imagine hearing between two teenagers in love. Furthermore, I really appreciated that the conflict in their relationship wasn't the standard love triangle, where a rival for Violet's affections emerges suddenly. It was just the usual sorts of issues that teens would encounter in any young relationship, making it easy for the reader to relate to.

Also, I love Jay Heaton as a character. Usually in literature, I'm drawn to the dangerous bad boy characters, but I love reading about Jay, who is just a normal, kind, sweet boyfriend. He doesn't have a tortured past, he doesn't flout authority like rebellious James Dean, and (as far as we know) he's not secretly a vampire. He treats Violet well (even when she's admittedly a little needy because of the side effects of her gift) and is always there for her. Jay's nice guy characteristics make him really stand out as a leading male among many popular young adult series.

The structure of the novel is similar to the first one, in that Violet finds the body of  a dead child and there is a search for his killer. Something different about this book, was that Violet became the victim of some harassment from a supposed stalker. So in this novel, Violet is the victim, and the inner monologue we get is from her stalker, who may or may not be connected to the other murders in the book. Another interesting thing about Desires of the Dead was the new information that we learnt. We were introduced to some new characters, including Sara and Rafe, who are part of an interesting organization, and who will feature again in the third book of the series, The Last Echo. I liked both of these characters, Rafe in particular, whose quiet behavior and mysterious connection to Sara suggests that there may be more to him than meets the eye. I look forward to seeing his role in the next installment in the series.

Once again, I enjoyed Kimberly Derting's writing and would recommend this to fans who loved  The Body Finder or Maggie Stiefvater's The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy (which begins with Shiver).

Kimberly Derting is the author of The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead (HarperCollins) and the upcoming release, The Pledge (Nov 2011, Simon & Schuster). She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the ideal place to write anything dark or creepy...a gloomy day can set the perfect mood. She lives with her husband and their three beautiful (and often mouthy) children who provide an endless source of inspiration. You can follow her on twitter: @kimberlyderting or on her blog: http://kimberlyderting.blogspot.com/

Her official website is: http://www.kimberlyderting.com/

Complete the form below for a chance to win an Advanced Reader Copy of Desires of the Dead. Please read contest rules carefully.

CONTEST RULES:

1. Please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (it will be deleted if you do), you must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.
2. The contest runs from July 7 to 11:59 PM Pacific Time on July 14, 2011.
3. You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.
4. If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail. If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.
5. This contest is open in US and Canada only. (Sorry international followers!)