The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand

Title: The Last Time We Say Goodbye

Author: Cynthia Hand

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: February 10, 2015

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

There’s death all around us.

We just don’t pay attention.

Until we do.

The last time Lex was happy, it was before. When she had a family that was whole. A boyfriend she loved. Friends who didn’t look at her like she might break down at any moment.

Now she’s just the girl whose brother killed himself. And it feels like that’s all she’ll ever be.

As Lex starts to put her life back together, she tries to block out what happened the night Tyler died. But there’s a secret she hasn’t told anyone—a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.

Lex’s brother is gone. But Lex is about to discover that a ghost doesn’t have to be real to keep you from moving on.

From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand, The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a gorgeous and heart-wrenching story of love, loss, and letting go.

This is where I admit that I’ve only read the first book in Cynthia Hand’s Unearthly trilogy (I know, bad Emilie), but when I heard about The Last Time We Say Goodbye I just knew that I had to read it. It sounded like the kind of story that I love and that would give me all the feels. And believe me when I say it did.

Lex thought she had her life figured out. Her family might not have been perfect, but she had one. She had friends who understood her, and a boyfriend she thought she might even love. But then she came home one day to find out her brother had killed himself. Now Lex had to find a way to get on with her life. But how do you do that when you’re holding on to a secret you haven’t told anyone, a secret that could have changed everything on the night her brother killed himself. As she tries to put the pieces back together, Lex becomes obsessed with understanding why her brother committed suicide, reliving every memory to try and find what she missed. But eventually, Lex is going to have to let go, even if it’s the hardest thing she ever does.

It seems like (or at least it does to me) there are a lot of books dealing with teen suicide coming out this year. Or at least there have been a fair amount that have come out in the last few weeks alone. And that’s not a bad thing. At all. It’s great that we’re talking about topics like this one and bringing ore attention to them since they have been relatively taboo within our society. And that’s where Cynthia Hand’s The Last Time We Say Goodbye comes in. It’s a book about teen suicide. But it’s not about the person who committed suicide, nor is it about what led the person to commit suicide. Well, in a way it kind of is. This story is about the aftermath of suicide, the people who are left behind. In this case, the sister who is trying to make sense of what led her brother to commit suicide, and finding a way to go on with her life from that point onwards. And that’s what this story is about: finding a way to cope with your grief and the fact that you probably won’t ever know why that person made that decision. That’s what I liked so much about The Last Time We Say Goodbye, that even though suicide is a crucial component of the story, that’s not really what the story revolves around (does that even make sense?). And of course, Cynthia Hand knows what she does. This story was fantastically written and at times very understated which is where a lot of the story’s power came. Because this was a powerful story. One that at times punched me right where it hurts. Especially that ending. The ending that I had trouble reading through all my tears. And a lot of that had to do with Lex and the way she is dealing with everything that is happening in her life.

Lex doesn’t understand why her brother committed suicide. No matter how she looks at it, she can’t figure out the reasons behind what he did. But that still means she has to find a way to get on with her life, to figure out where she goes from there. In a way, Lex was someone who was a little hard to connect to at first. She’s a very logical and mathematically-minded person and because of that, she almost comes across as a little closed-off emotionally. After everything that’s happened, her being closed off emotionally isn’t necessarily that surprising, but still. Eventually though, I very much warmed up to Lex. You find out more, that she’s struggling with so much in light of her brother’s suicide, that her way of dealing with it is to try to find a clear and logical explanation for what happened. She’s a mathematical person, so she’s looking for the equation that eventually equalled suicide, not that she’s going to find one. But I felt for Lex while I was reading. Seeing her struggle to come to terms with her brother’s death was at times very hard to watch. And again, that’s what ultimately made this story so powerful: seeing Lex’s who belief system come apart as she comes to terms with her new life. And what made my feelings hurt so much. But in a really, REALLY good way.

Cynthia Hand’s The Last Time We Say Goodbye was a powerful and emotional read. It’s one that left me in a puddle of my own tears, but I wouldn’t have asked for it to be any other way.

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Title: Jellicoe Road

Author: Melina Marchetta

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: August 26, 2008

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

I’m dreaming of the boy in the tree. I tell him stories. About the Jellicoe School and the Townies and the Cadets from a school in Sydney. I tell him about the war between us for territory. And I tell him about Hannah, who lives in the unfinished house by the river. Hannah, who is too young to be hiding away from the world. Hannah, who found me on the Jellicoe Road six years ago.

Taylor is leader of the boarders at the Jellicoe School. She has to keep the upper hand in the territory wars and real with Jonah Griggs—the enigmatic leader of the cadets, and someone she thought she would never see again.

And now Hannah, the person Taylor has come to rely on, has disappeared. Taylor’s only clues a manuscript about five kids who lived in Jellicoe eighteen years ago. She needs to find out more, but this means confronting her own story, making sense of her strange, recurring dream, and finding her mother—who abandoned her on the Jellicoe Road. 

The moving, joyous and brilliantly compelling new novel from the bestselling, multi-award-winning author of Looking for Alibrandi and Saving Francesca.

There are some books that as a blogger I feel like I should have read. Or that I feel bad about the fact that I haven’t read them. Especially when they are books that seem to e such “YA classics,” for lack of a better term. Until recently, Melina Marchetta’s Jellicoe Road was one of those books. But I’ve now rectified that situation. And the book left me completely broken.

To Taylor Markham, the Jellicoe School is home. It’s the place she’s felt the safest since her mom abandoned her at the 7-Eleven up the road. Now in her last year of school, she’s been put in charge of the boarders, masterminding their defence in the territory war against the Cadets and the Townies. But things are different in the territory wars this year. For one thing, Jonah Griggs is leading the Cadets. The same Jonah Griggs Taylor ran away with a few years earlier. But then there’s the dreams she’s been having about the boy in the tree, and Hannah, the one person Taylor has always been able to rely on, mysteriously disappears. Taylor doesn’t know what to do and who to turn to anymore. She knows she has to find out more, but she doesn’t know where to start. Most of all though, Taylor is afraid that to get to the bottom of it all she’s going to have to do the one thing that scares her more than anything: confront her own past and finally understand how she came to the Jellicoe Road.

So I have this friend, and pretty much for as long as I’ve known her, she’s been telling me that I need to read Melina Marchetta’s Jellicoe Road. In fact, her telling me to read it sometimes bordered on her yelling at me to read it. This has been going on for a few years and over the holidays, I finally gave in. So you better be happy Ciara. But for real, I should have listened to her so much sooner than I did. I can’t even begin to put into words my Jellicoe Road reading experience. Based on everything I had been told, I knew that this was going to be a powerful story and that it would likely have me tearing up. But still. This story sort of creeped up on me. I was reading, and I was trying to piece together all the different parts of the puzzle and all of a sudden it punches me right in the gut. The emotions just kept on coming and it didn’t take long at all for me to be full on bawling as I was trying to read the last pages of the book. And when I say I was bawling, I mean it. The tears wouldn’t stop coming. Each time I thought I finally had a handle on my emotions, something more happened in the story and I just started crying some more. I just couldn’t stop. Even after I was finished reading, I was still crying. Melina Marchetta wrote an incredibly powerful story and it completely broke me. 

Jellicoe Road is primarily Taylor’s story. But it’s also so many other people’s story. I knew from the start that these stories would all be connected and intertwined together. I just hadn’t realized quite so connected everything was. And exactly who everyone was. As Taylor was working to understand her past, I was there right alongside her, trying to put it all together. And Taylor was strong and loyal, much more so than she gave herself credit for. But she also needed people more than she thought. She was a master at closing herself off from the people around her, afraid of being abandoned again. And the person who tried more than anyone to break down those barriers Taylor insisted on putting up was Jonah Griggs. I’m not really sure there’s any way to put Jonah Griggs into words and have it even come close to what an amazing person and character he was. All I can really say is that Jonah Griggs isn’t someone I’ll be forgetting anytime soon. And I highly doubt Taylor will be forgetting him and letting him go anytime soon.

To everyone and anyone who has ever told me to read Jellicoe Road over the years, I finally listened and I don’t regret. Not even one little bit. This was such a fantastic and powerful story. And even though it’s been a couple of weeks since I finished reading it, I feel like I’m still trying to piece my heart back together. That’s how much this story affected me.

Blog Tour - Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot

Today I am happy to be taking part in the Canadian blog tour for Chelsey Philpot's newly released Even in Paradise. As part of the tour, I asked Chelsey to talk about where she gets inspiration and ideas from. So if you're looking for new ways to get ideas, keep reading!

When it comes to uncovering ideas and discovering the right words, I’ve found that writing is more like searching through debris in a neglected attic than shopping a well-lit megastore. More often than not, my thoughts crawl instead of spring. More often than not, I produce more sentences that I can’t use than ones I can. More often than not, as Jack London once so famously said, “You can’t wait for inspiration. you have to go after if with a club.”

But how do you hunt an idea? Pin down a revelation? I can’t answer for every writer, but here are a few “clubs” that work for me.

1. Read poetry. Whether I’m writing fiction or nonfiction, poetry never disappoints. I particularly love the work of Paul Kane, Charles Wright, and Nancy Willard.

2. Look at some awesome travel photography. I’ve adored National Geographic since I was little.

3. Check out art. I have never met an art museum that I have not wanted to explore.

4. Move. Get away form the desk! I’m lucky to live near both ocean beaches and mountains.

5. Dance. I feel I don’t need to explain this one.

6. Do research. Whether my research involves looking through archives or watching YouTube videos, I love doing it—so much so that I have trouble stopping and getting to the actual writing.

7. Read about writing. I love discovering what rituals, practices, etc. for other writers.

8. Talk to strangers. Interviews with interesting people who may never have spoken to are among some of my best journalism experiences.

9. Have adventures. Travel. I would live out of a suitcase for the rest of my life if I could carry all my books with me.

10. Be brave. Each fresh experience, each time you try something strange or scary, might be the start of your next article, story, or book. Impulse can lead to crazy and wonderful stories.

Thank you to Chelsey for this post and sharing the strategies she found work to find inspiration and new book ideas!

About the book

When Julia Buchanan enrols at St. Anne’s at the beginning of junior year, Charlotte Ryder already knows all about the former senator’s daughter. Most people do…or think they do.

Charlotte certainly never expects she’ll be Julia’s friend. But almost immediately, she is drawn into the larger than-life-new girl’s world—a world of midnight rendezvous, dazzling parties, palatial vacation homes, and fizzy champagne cocktails. And then Charlotte meets, and begins falling for, Julia’s handsome older brother, Sebastian.

But behind her self-assured smiles and toasts to the future, Charlotte soon realizes that Julia is still suffering from a tragedy. A tragedy that the Buchanan family has kept hidden…until now.

About the author

Chelsey Philpot grew up on a farm in New Hampshire and now works as an editor and journalist. She’s written from the New York Times, Boston Globe, Slate, and numerous other publications. Like her main character, Charlotte, Chelsea attended boarding school in New England. You can visit her online at www.chelseyphilphot.com or on Twitter @ChelseyPhilpot.

And be sure to follow the rest of the Canadian Even in Paradise blog tour!

October 13 - A Glass of Wine

October 14 - Conversations of a Reading Addict

October 15 - Emilie's Book World

October 16 - Burning Impossibly Bright

October 17 - Lily's Book Blog

October 20 - SukasaReads

October 21 - Hiver et Café

October 22 - Lost At Midnight Reviews

October 23 - Feeling A Little Bookish

October 24 - Read My Breath Away

Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes

Title: Anatomy of a Misfit

Author: Andrea Portes

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: September 2, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

This emotional, hilarious, devastating, and ultimately triumphant YA debut, based on actual events, recounts one girl’s rejection of her high school’s hierarchy—and her discovery of her true self in the face of tragedy.

Outside, Anika Dragomir is all lip gloss and blond hair—the third most popular girl in school. Inside, she’s a freak: a mix of dark thoughts, diabolical plots, and, if local chatter is to be believed, vampire DNA (after all, her father is Romanian). But she keeps it all under wraps to maintain her social position. One step out of line and Becky Vilhauer, first most popular girl in school, will make her life hell. So when former loner Logan McDonough shows up one September hotter, smarter, and more mysterious than ever, Anika knows she can’t get involved. It would be insane to throw away her social safety for a nerd. So what if that nerd is now a black-leather-jacket-wearing dreamboat, and his loner status is clearly the results of his troubled home life? Who cares if the right girl could help him with all that, maybe even save him from it? Who needs him when Jared Kline, the bad boy every girl dreams of, is asking her on dates? Who?

Anatomy of a Misfit is a Mean Girls meets Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Anika’s hilariously deadpan delivery will appeal to readers for its honesty and depth. The so-sad-it’s-funny high school setting will pull readers in, but when the story’s dark foreboding gradually takes over, the devastating penultimate tragedy hits like a punch to the gut. Readers will ride the highs and lows alongside funny, flawed Anika—from laughter to tears, and everything in between.

Andrea Portes’s Anatomy of a Misfit is one of those books I had really high expectations for, it was one of the books I was most looking forward to getting my hands on at BEA earlier this year. Though it didn’t quite meet those expectations, Anatomy of a Misfit was still a very interesting read.

To the outside observer, it would look like Anika Dragomir has everything going for her, after all she is the third most popular girl in school. All she has to do to stay in that position is stay in line, otherwise Becky Vilhauer will make her life miserable. On the inside though, it’s a completely different story. On the inside, Anika has the makings of a freak. Dark thoughts, evil plots and even the DNA of a vampire is rumours around town are to be believed. And that all leads Anika to Logan McDonough. Previously a loner, Logan comes back at the start of the school year looking better than ever and he seems to want Anika. Anika knows what will happen to her social position if she shows interest in Logan, but she can’t help but be drawn to this mysterious nerd. There’s something more going on with Logan, Anika just knows it, but will she do something about it and risk being miserable the rest of her high school life. 

As I’ve already mentioned, I had pretty high expectations for Anatomy of a Misfit. It was one of those books that when I first heard about it, I knew I absolutely wanted to read it. To the point that it was one of a few books that I most wanted to grab when I was at BEA earlier this year. So needless to say that I was really excited at the prospect of reading Anatomy of a Misfit. When I started reading, I quickly realized that it was going to be different than what I thought it was going to be. That’s not to say it was a bad kind of different. I really enjoyed this story. Granted, I had some issues with it at times, but it still didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. This story is to the point. Anika is blunt in the way she tells her story, but she’s also quirky and has a rather dry sense of humour. I will say this though, the story ends up packing quite a punch. Though there were many hints dropped along the way, the ending still took me by surprise. As emotional as it was, it was the appropriate ending for this story. And much like it was a good ending for the story, this story wouldn’t have worked with someone other than Anika as the narrator.

Anika was interesting. As I’ve already mentioned, she was quirky and had a rather dry sense of humour. But I liked the way her brain worked. The only thing that really bugged me was the amount of emphasis that was put on keeping things hidden in the name keeping her social standing. Granted that was kind of the point of the story and she needed to go through that to where she got by the end, but at times I felt like I was being hit over the head with that aspect of the story. My other complaint would be that I could have gotten to know the other characters a little better. As much as I could see the appeal of both Logan and Jared, but I feel like I didn’t know them well enough for everything that happened with them to make complete sense. Though I feel like that could be said more about Jared than Logan. In a way, it felt like Jared kind of came out of nowhere, just to make Anika rethink everything to do with Logan. But again, that didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.

I really enjoyed reading Andrea Portes’s Anatomy of a Misfit. Though the story wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, it was a story with a message that is ultimately an important one. If you’re looking for something a little different with a quirky narrator, than this is the book for you.

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Title: The Distance Between Us

Author: Kasie West

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: July 2, 2013

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo 

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she's pretty sure they're only good for one thing--spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother's shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he's oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he's one of the first people who actually gets her, she's smart enough to know his interest won't last. Because if there's one thing she's learned from her mother's warnings, it's that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can't find out--she wouldn't approve. She'd much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn't been raised by money. But just when Xander's attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn't a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she'd ever realized. And that Xander's not the only one she should've been worried about.

We all know I love my contemporary romances and I would spend all my time reading them if that were a possibility. But there are only so many hours in a day and sometimes I put off reading some for unknown reasons, only to later realize just what I was missing. That’s exactly what happened with Kasie West’s The Distance Between Us and, no surprise, I loved it.

Caymen has always stayed away from the rich people in town. She knows all about them, and from her position behind the counter at her mother’s doll shop, she studies them. Caymen never thought she would ever spend time with one, much less become friends with a rich person. But when Xander Spence walk into her mother’s store, Caymen knows he can’t be anything but rich. Knowing he’s rich, though, doesn’t stop Caymen from wanting to get to know Spence or spend time with him. Before long, and against her better judgement, Caymen starts to fall for Xander. She knows her mother would disapprove of the relationship, but what Caymen doesn’t know is that money might be a bigger part of her relationship with Xander than she thought. Can Caymen put her feelings about the rich aside, if it means being with the boy she loves?

So contemporaries. Have I mentioned lately how much I love them? Because I do. If I’m being honest, I more than love them, I pretty much adore the genre as a whole. So when you stop and think about it, how could I possibility not love Kasie West’s The Distance Between Us. This story was just so perfect. When I read the synopsis, and when I first started reading, I honestly thought this was just going to be some light and fun contemporary story. And in a way, it totally was. But the more I read, the more I realized there was also more to it. That’s not to say though that the story wasn’t fun, because it totally was. For the better part of the time I spent reading The Distance Between Us, I had a big goofy smile on my face, and at times I was actually trying to suppress giggles (maybe I shouldn’t read in public). So if you hadn’t guessed it by now, I really loved this story, I was sucked it and couldn’t stop reading regardless of the fact I had to get up early for work the next morning. My favourite part of the book, though? The banter between Caymen and Xander.

Caymen and Xander were pretty great. Right away, I connected with Caymen. There as just something about her that made it so I could relate to her, so that I loved her from the get go. I loved her voice, the way she reacted to the world around her, and I’m not going to lie, I shared a lot of her opinions about different people. And like I’ve already said, I loved the banter between her and Xander. Honestly, the book could have just been them going back and forth with each other and I would still have been captivated. The banter was just that good. It also helped that Xander was pretty awesome. And Xander wasn’t perfect but I loved him just the same. The fact that he wasn’t perfect is what made him so awesome. I loved getting to know him more, and sort of peeling back the layers to get to who he really was, as opposed to who his family wanted and expected him to be. And just in case it wasn’t clear yet, Xander and Caymen together were just a lot of fun, and at the end of the day they brought out the best in each other.

Kasie West’s The Distance Between Us was just what I had hoped it would be. It was light and fun contemporary romance, but don’t let yourself be fooled, it’s also a lot more than that. If you haven’t already given this book a try, you are really missing out.

Starcrossed Week - Why others love Starcrossed

I am not the only person who has read and loved Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed books. As amazing as they are, it shouldn't come as a surprise that others share my feelings. So keep reading to see what others have thought of these wonderful books.

Kathy from A Glass of Wine

As someone who has been lucky enough to read all three novels in Josephine Angelini’s trilogy, I knew immediately what I wanted to talk about when Emilie asked me to contribute a few sentences on this amazing series - the set up involved. Josephine has laid everything out in the first two novels out perfectly. The characters, their importance and the setting all lay waiting like dominoes for Josephine to move that first piece and send everything else falling into place. It’s this set up, and execution that left me awe struck when I closed the last piece. This trilogy ends the way it HAS to because any other ending wouldn't fit the carefully planned structure that cumulates in the stunning finale.

Siobhan from Conversations of a Reading Addict

The Starcrossed series has, over the years, become one of my favourites, and this is for a number of reasons. One of them being the subject matter. I am a huge fan of greek mythology and I especially like it when it is retold in novel form. The Helen of Troy myth has been done before but not like this. Set in modern times and add in superpowers and you have one supercharged series. An amazing love story doesn't hurt either. I mean the sexual tension and the forbidden aspect drives this story forward in ways you cannot even imagine. The characters and the plot line are unique and extremely well written. This is one series you should not miss, it is a must read for sure. 

Meaghan from Feeling a Little Bookish

I read Starcrossed a few years ago for review and I really enjoy reading it.  One of the things that I really enjoyed about this novel is that while it is a novel with some Greek mythology elements to it, it is not overt and in your face. Angelini doesn't bog down her story with too much background on greek mythology. She added this into her story in a way that flowed really well. I also love that Helen finds out that her life may not quite be what she has been told and she doesn't automatically change her entire life and not question things.  She does want to rebel a bit but she doesn't completely change who she is. She continues to hold her relationships dear and she makes an effort to try to fit into her new lifestyle.  Starcrossed is a great novel and if you haven't started this series yet you need to go out and pick it up ASAP.  

Ciara from Lost at Midnight Reviews

I think two of the best things in Starcrossed were the reimagined mythology and the family dynamics. I loved the way Josephine Angelini recreated these classic myths while still keeping the tradition strong. I was fascinated by the plot line and the way the Greek mythology was woven into the story. It was fresh and interesting and made me want to learn more! I also adored the Delos family! Coming from a big extended family, I could totally relate to the chaos in the house and the hilarious interactions. The clear bond the family shared warmed my heart and made for a fantastic book! I mean really, mythology and awesome characters? How could you not love it!

So there you have it: more reasons to read the Starcrossed trilogy. And if you missed it yesterday, be sure to check out all the giveaways I have to celebrate these awesome books!

Starcrossed Week - Goddess by Josephine Angelini

Title: Goddess (Starcrossed #3)

Author: Josephine Angelini

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: May 28, 2013

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Chapters

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count. 

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas's life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

In Josephine Angelini's compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that's been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.

When it comes to my most anticipated books of 2013, Goddess was easily at the top of that list. After everything that happened in the first two books, I couldn't wait to see how Josephine Angelini would bring everything together in this final instalment. I'll admit that I was a little afraid, but I shouldn't have been because, with Goddess, Josephine Angelini wrote a stunning finale. 

Now that the four houses have been accidentally united, there is nothing left to hold the gods on Olympus. So with gods on the loose, free to do as they please in the human world, Helen and the other Scions need to find a way to stop them. But the last time this happened, the gods were imprisoned only after a devastating war. But that's the least of Helen's problems. Between the Oracle's prophecies about the Tyrant, her confused feelings about Lucas and Orion and the rising tensions between everyone, there is a lot to deal with. Everyone will have some difficult decisions to make. With war looming on the horizon, everyone is ready to prepare for the worse.

There are so many things I can and want to say about Goddess. So I will apologize in advance if this turns into me simply gushing about everything I loved about this story. But here's the thing, I know just how much the first two books affected me so I was very much afraid of what Goddess would do to my poor heart. And this was a perfectly legitimate fear. Throughout the book, there were many moments where I wasn't sure I would be able to take much more. Every time another piece of the puzzle fell into place, I became increasingly afraid of what it would mean for the big picture. But that didn't stop me from loving this story. Because there wasn't a singly moment where I wasn't loving it. This story is so layered and complex. There is so much happening, but at the same time it's all connected. Just seeing how everything fit together, those little moments from previous books that all of a sudden took on a whole new meaning, was amazing. Even just thinking about how each of the characters had their Greek or Trojan equivalent must have required a lot of planning on Josephine Angelini's part. And that's another thing, even though I knew it, Goddess reinforced what an amazing writer Josephine Angelini is. Because Goddess is an absolutely stunning finale to this series I love. And it was the kind of conclusion that didn't leave me wanting. Everything ended the way it should have. Though there were some disappointments along the way, I don't think this story could have ended any other way. And the way it ended was just what I wanted.

Let me now say that Helen is a total badass. I've known all along that Helen was a strong and that she wouldn't let very much get in her way. But in Goddess, Helen more than rises up to the occasion. My the end of the book, she had my complete respect and admiration. The way she handles everything that is thrown her way, I don't know how she comes out of it all standing. Because anyone else would be curled up in a ball, crying in a corner somewhere…or at least I would be. So this book just made me love Helen even more. And the title of the book being Goddess is fully appropriate. Like I've already said, there is so much going on with all the characters in this story. Everyone of them is so complex. And I loved seeing the parallels between the different players in the Trojan War. And admittedly that parallel allowed me to predict some parts of the story which at times made me a little angry. But as much as there was some heartbreak involved, everything that happened to the characters happened for a reason. I might be repeating myself, but I couldn't really have asked for a more fitting ending for the story and for these characters. Sure, it might not have been happy for everyone, but it was the only possible outcome.

Over the course of three books, I have come to love this story and I couldn't have asked for a better ending. With Goddess, Josephine Angelini confirmed that she is a fantastic writer because this was an absolutely stunning finale. I will say this again, but if you haven't yet read this series, I strongly recommend it because I can guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Waiting on Wednesday (76)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers devote a post to an upcoming book release they are particularly looking forward to. This week I have two titles I am particularly looking forward to reading.

The Paradox of Vertical Flight by Emil Ostrovski
September 24, 2013
Greenwillow Books

On the morning of his eighteenth birthday, Jack Polovsky has just taken a handful of pills when his cell phone rings. Here's some news: his ex-girlfriend has given birth and Jack is the father. Jack hasn't spoken with Jess in about nine months--and she wants him to see the baby before he is adopted. Maybe it's the pills. Maybe it's Jack's general state of mind. But Jack needs to introduce the baby to his grandma--and tell him a few important things along the way to Grandma's house. Then, maybe everything will be all right. Then at least he will have had a day or two with his son and done his best to shape him. Jack kidnaps the baby, names him Socrates, stocks up on baby supplies at Wal-Mart, and hits the road with his best friend Tommy and with the ex, Jess. As they head to Grandma's house (eluding the police at every turn), Jack tells baby Socrates the Greek myths--because all stories spring from those stories, really. Even this one.

In turns funny, heart wrenching, and wholly original, this debut novel by Emil Ostrovski explores the nature of family, love friendship, fatherhood, and myth.

Ever since I first heard about The Paradox of Vertical Flight by Emil Ostrovski, I have been wanting to read this book. It sounds like a fantastic contemporary story that's a little out there but stil has a lot of potential. I can't wait to find out for myself.

Blackout by Robison Wells

October 1, 2013

Harper Teen

Laura and Alec are trained terrorists.

Jack and Aubrey are high school students.

There was no reason for them to ever meet.

But now, a mysterious virus is spreading throughout America, infecting teenagers with impossible powers. And these four are about to find their lives intertwined in a complex web of deception, loyalty, and catastrophic danger--where one wrong choice could trigger an explosion that ends it all. 

Though I haven't read any of Robison Wells' other books, Blackout sounds fantastic. Just from reading the synopsis, I can tell this is going to be a crazy and intense story. Though I feel like this might also be the kind of story that is going to make me think a lot. But those are the best kinds.

Resist by Sarah Crossan

October 8, 2013

Greenwillow Books

What would you do if you were desperate? 

Bea, Alina, and Quinn are outlaws. They started a rebellion and have been thrown out of the pod--the only place where there's enough air to breathe. Bea has lost her family. Alina has lost her home. And Quinn has lost his privileged life. What will they find, now that they are refugees in the perilous Outlands? Their final safe haven may be harboring dark secrets. But together, the three teens find the will to keep fighting, to save one another, and to break free from everything that's holding them back.

Sarah Crossan has created a dangerous, shattered society, and brought to life three heartbreakingly relatable teenagers who come into their own. A wrenching, thought-provoking, and unforgettable post-apocalyptic novel.

I really enjoyed Sarah Crossan's Breathe last year, so I can't wait to see what happens next in Resist. The synopsis doesn't give too much away, but from what I remember from the first book, I just know that this is going to make me think that this is something that could actually happen.

So these are the books I'm waiting on and am excited about this week. What are you waiting on? 

Announcing Starcrossed Week!

In honor of the release of Goddess, the third and final book in Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed trilogy, I will be holding a "Starcrossed Week" here on the blog during the week of May 20th. As some of you may know, I am a huge fan of these books and I absolutely adore the story within them. 

What I need from you is simple. If you have read any of the books in the series and have loved them, I would love to hear your thoughts on the books. If you are interested in participating in this weeklong event celebrating this wonderful trilogy, just send me an email at emiliebookworld@gmail.com and I will be happy to give you more detail about what I would need from you!

Mind Games by Kiersten White

Title: Mind Games (Mind Games #1)

Author: Kiersten White

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: February 19, 2013

Source: Borrowed from fellow blogger

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her--except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways…or risking each other's lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other--no matter the cost. 

This is where I admit that I've only read the first book in Kiersten White's Paranormalcy trilogy despite owning all three. But despite this I was still excited when Mind Games was first announced. The premise for the story sounded so different and unlike anything I would have expected from Kiersten White. And after having read the book, I can officially say that it was dark, edgy and absolutely fantastic.

Fia has always known what she should do in any given situation. Having been born with perfect instincts she knows she can always trust her gut feelings. And because of those instincts, Fia makes the perfect spy. Annie is blind but has visions. And those visions allow her to help her sister stay out of trouble. The two sisters are kept at a school that uses them for their powers. And both will do anything in their power to protect the other. But what if protecting your sister means going against everything you believe in?

I knew just from reading the synopsis and from what others had said that Mind Games was going to be dark and different from Kiersten White's other books. However I did not necessarily expect it to be as dark as some parts of it ended up being. But just because it was a dark story it doesn't mean it wasn't an absolutely fantastic one. The story in Mind Games is twisted and the whole time I was reading I wasn't entirely sure about what I was reading. The way the story was written also made it difficult at times to make sense of what I was reading. Not only was it told from the perspectives of both Annie and Fia but there were also some flashbacks from both their perspectives included in the story. Those flashbacks added another layer to the story that was necessary. For me, at least, they helped understand where Annie and Fia were coming from, why they were doing the things they were doing and how they had gotten to where they were. As you can probably tell but this point, despite the short length of the book, it presents quite a complex story.

Fia is probably one of the most interesting characters I have read about in the last few months. There is just so much going on with this girl. For quite a long time I really did not know what to make of Fia. I could tell that she was conflicted, doing what she had to do to keep her sister safe. But the way her mind worked is what truly intrigued me when it came to Fia. The thing about Fia is that she has perfect instincts and that makes seeing what she says and does really interesting. She'll decide to wear certain clothes based on a feeling she has that turns out to be quite helpful in the future. Annie was more subdued than her sister, but that didn't make her any less interesting. And much like Fia, Annie would do anything to protect her sister. Now if only the two sisters weren't unknowingly working against each other while trying to protect the other things would work a little better for them. And then there was James who I'm not sure what to make of at all. At times he seemed like the most charming man ever, but at other times that charm almost looked like it was a cover for something else. And the same thing can be said for Adam. Hopefully I'll find out more about both of them in the future.

Mind Games was different from what I've come to know Kiersten White for. This book is dark and twisted and will leave you thinking for a long time after you are finished reading. Don't expect the Kiersten White from the Paranormalcy trilogy because you will be disappointed if you do. But just because it's different that doesn't mean it's any less fantastic.

Cover Reveal: Shadow of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Today, I am incredibly lucky to be taking part in the cover reveal for Shadow of the Mark by Leigh Fallon. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, so without further ado, here it is.

Life for Megan Rosenberg just got a lot more complicated.

While she evoked the air element, and her feelings for Adam intensified, a web of lies, deceit, and betrayal has been spun around her. With the Order tightening its hold, and the reinstatement of the Mark Knights, Megan has more questions than answers as the Marked Ones grow in strength.

New people around suspicion, the DeRises start behaving strangely, and Megan begins to unravel a destiny shrouded in mystery. It's a destiny the Order has struggled to hide, and a destiny someone from the past…far in the past, has already laid claim to.

Alliances will be made, and friends will be lost, as the Order's dark secrets are revealed by the very thing they sought to destroy. 

Isn't this cover absolutely gorgeous, personally I think so, but here's what author Leigh Fallon had to say about it.

I know, there's no mistaking it. This is definitely a Carrier Series cover, but that was the intention. After the amazing reception to the cover of Carrier of the Mark, HarperCollins wanted Shadow's cover to be instantly recognizable. And it is, but the new darker color palette reflects the darker tone that this installment brings, and the pink and purple really make it pop. I love it and think HarperCollins have done another amazing job. I hope you like it too.

To make things even better, Leigh Fallon is running a giveaway to celebrate the reveal of the Shadow of the Mark cover. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Leigh Fallon

I started out life in South Africa. A year later my parents moved home to Dublin, Ireland. When I was older and realized my parents had moved me from exotic Durban, to sedate Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, I was really ticked off.

Giving up lions for sheep, I grew up in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains where I went to a convent school and had to contend with uniforms, gabardines, and nuns. When not dodging the beady glare of the Sisters of Mercy, I was devouring every book I could get my hands on.

I traveled all over Europe while working in banking and treasury, but I gave up my calculator in favor of a keyboard and haven't stopped writing since. My first book, Carrier of the Mark, was published by HarperTeen in 2011.

Our home is in Cork in the south of Ireland, but we're currently on loan to Massachusetts in the US where I continue to write books about magic, ghosts, and romance, with a bit of Irish flavor.

Shadow of the Mark by Leigh Fallon will be published July 9, 2013 and you can already pre-order the book on Amazon.

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Title: Dreamless (Starcrossed #2)

Author: Josephine Angelini

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: May 29, 2012

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

***SPOILERS FOR STARCROSSED BELOW***

As the only Scion that can enter Hades at will, Helen descends to the Underworld in search of a way to overcome the Furies and end the cycle of revenge that has cursed the Scions. But she's running out of time. Each descent weakens her both in mind and spirit. A mysterious stranger might be her only salvation, but the price may be her love for Lucas Delos.

As an unforgettable love triangle emerges, Josephine Angelini's compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding. The eagerly awaited sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed, Dreamless delivers with huge emotional impact that will leave readers satisfied--and longing for more.

I absolutely adored Starcrossed when I read it last year. Josephine Angelini had written an incredible story so I was very much looking forward to reading more. Dreamless was even better than I thought it was going to be and I loved every single page of it. 

Now that she has discovered that she is the Descender, Helen is pending all her nights in the Underworld trying to find a way to defeat the Furies. Because defeating the Furies means reuniting her family. But on top of this she also has to deal with the fact that she ca't be with Lucas anymore. And that may prove harder than defeating the Furies. During her time in the Underworld, Helen also meets Orion, another Scion who can travel to the Underworld and knows Helen's elusive mother. With Orion's help, Helen may be able to reach her goals in the Underworld. But she will have to do so before chaos breaks out on the surface, putting everyone she loves in danger.

After reading Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed last year, I was hooks and just couldn't be able to read more of this story. And so I had very high expectations for Dreamless and I can now say that they were all more than surpassed. In Dreamless the action started right from the first page and it didn't let up until the last page. There was always something happening and there was never a dull moment. I would find it extremely difficult to put the book down. I just wanted to know what would happen next all the time. Josephine Angelini seriously wrote an awesome story in Dreamless, and I liked it even more than Starcrossed. I didn't think that would be possible.

If I liked Helen after reading Starcrossed, it's nothing compared to how much I like her after reading Dreamless. She just has these endearing qualities that make it so you just can't help but like her. I also loved seeing more of the Delos family. They are a very interesting bunch to say the least. And this time around I could feel their pain where Hector was concerned and I wanted everything to work out for them. And I wanted Lucas to find his way back to himself, and I knew that wasn't going to be easy. And of course I really liked the addition of Orion. He was a really great addition to the story and I loved seeing him and Helen. He was really great with her and I can only hope there is more Orion to come in the future.

Dreamless was an absolutely fantastic sequel. Josephine Angelini really wrote an amazing story that I absolutely loved. I can't wait to see how it will all come together. Though waiting for the next book may prove to be difficult.

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Pandemonium (Delirium #2)

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: February 28, 2012

Source: Purchased 

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do.

The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too.

I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

When I read Delirium last year I fell in love and the ending left me completely heartbroken. So you can imagine I was eagerly anticipating the release of Pandemonium. When it came out, I rushed to the bookstore and started reading right away. And once again I fell in love and was left completely heartbroken.

Now that she is in the Wilds, Lena has to learn how to survive on her own. And without Alex. But Lena isn't completely alone and soon enough she is sent to New York City on a resistance assignment. But that assignment doesn't go exactly as planned, and Lena finds herself getting kidnapped and locked in a room with Julian Fineman. As she tries to find a way to escape, Lena finds herself once again questioning everything he has been told. And the more time she spends with Julian, the less she seems to be thinking about Alex. But Lena isn't sure if she can go back to being a person who can love.

I've probably said it before, but I'll say it again: Lauren Oliver is a master of her craft. Right from the first page of Pandemonium I was taken back to the world I had come to love in Delirium. Not only that, but I was also thrown into the story, at first not really knowing what was happening. In this book, Lauren Oliver chose to write two storylines: one taking place immediately after Lena escaped to the Wilds and one that takes place in Lena's present. These two storylines alternate from chapter to chapter and it only served to make me want to read more of the story. And of course this wouldn't be a Lauren Oliver book if the ending didn't leave me completely heartbroken. Because it did. And now I have to wait a year to find out what happens next.

Once again, I loved seeing Lena's growth over the course of the book. Much like with Delirium, Lena was a completely different person by the end of the book. I loved seeing the transformation happen in her. But Lena wasn't the only character to go through a transformation, there's also Julian. And Julian is someone I didn't really know what to make of at first. But the more I got to know him, the more I liked him--more than I ever thought I would. And more than anything I loved the person he became by the end of the book. The addition of new characters was definitely something I enjoyed about Pandemonium, though I wish I could have gotten to know some of them better.

Pandemonium most definitely didn't disappoint me, and I may have loved it even more than Delirium. Lauren Oliver really knows her stuff, and she once again left me completely heartbroken yet I would have begged for more.