The Lies that Bind by Lisa & Laura Roecker

Title: The Lies that Bind (The Liar Society #2)

Author: Lisa & Laura Roecker

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: November 6, 2012

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Just when Kate Lowry thought she had life at elite private school Pemberly Brown figured out, she cracks open a fortune cookie to find a message from her best friend Grace--who's supposed to be dead.

Another Sister Gone

A classmate has gone missing, and Kate soon realizes that the disappearance is tied to the secret societies that rule her private school. Her best friend died for their secrets, and there's no way she'll let them get away with it twice. It's up to quirky outsider Kate to get some answers, but in a school where every answer leads to more questions an nothing's as it seems, who can she trust?

I had really enjoyed The Liar Society when I read it last year, so I was really looking forward to reading the sequel, The Lies that Bind. And this sequel turned out to be just as good as the first book, and the mystery captured my attention from start to finish.

After what happened last semester, Kate promised she would stop trying to take down the secret societies that run her elite prep school. But just because she promised the should stop doesn't mean Kate actually stopped messing with secret society business. And now the secret societies of Pemberly Brown Academy are back at it, this time with one of their own going missing. Now Kate finds herself caught up in society business once again and this time she doesn't know who she can trust. And to make things worse, those she was sure she could count on are turning their backs on her. Kate just doesn't know what she's supposed to do anymore.

I am a sucker for any story that involves the smallest amount of mystery so the Liar Society books are right up my alley. But the great thing about The Lies that Bind is that not only does it involve, mystery, it also has all these great moments that just put a smile on you face, and sometimes they might just make you laugh (especially if Seth is involved). The story itself was also pretty great. Right from the beginning I found myself getting wrapped up in it. And the mystery itself kept me on my toes the whole way through. I just couldn't seem to figure out who was behind it all until it was all laid out in front of me. And even then because of all the previous twists and turns I wasn't sure if they had the right person.

Once again, Kate was a great character and a great narrator. I love her voice and she manages to tell what is happening to her in a very unique way. What I especially like about her is that she can tell that what she's doing isn't necessarily the greatest idea and that definitely comes out in the way she tells her story and that of the people around her. Though she still took most of what happened to her in stride, I could tell that it was getting harder for her to deal with it all, especially when it came to what it was costing her to do what she was doing. And once again, Seth was always there, ready to step in whenever Kate needed his help. Like I've mentioned before, he was often quite good at putting a smile on my face while I was reading. The other characters kind of threw me for a loop. I never really knew who I was supposed to trust. Even with Liam who is supposed to be Kate's boyfriend, I wasn't always sure if I was supposed to be trusting him. And the same goes for Bradley, though I knew I shouldn't really trust him, I found myself wanting to do so. It was all interesting how there was a little reversal of roles going on.

Overall, The Lies that Bind was a fantastic sequel to The Liar Society. There was that same mystery that I loved in the first book, and even more of it if you ask me. And with the way things ended, I can't wait to see how it will all come together in the final book in the trilogy.

Blog Tour: The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

Title: The Friday Society

Author: Adrienne Kress

Publisher: Dial

Release Date: December 6, 2012

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns--and the heroines who use them all.

Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligence and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.

It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder--and the crimes they believe may be connected to it--without calling too much attention to themselves.

Set in the past but with a modern irreverent flare, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike--well, relatively ladylike--heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

A steampunk story about kick-ass girls? Count me in. The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress was a fantastic and fun story about three girls who definitely weren't afraid of much and didn't let anything stand in their way. I am such a sucker for books about girl power and this one ended up being right up my alley.

Cora, Nellie and Michiko had never met each other but one fateful night brought them together, and from then on their paths kept on crossing. Together they decide to solve a mystery the police hasn't deemed important enough and each brings something different to the table. Cora, an inventor's assistant can solve any problem thrown her way and can organize like no one else. Nellie, a magician's assistant can pull off just about any trick. Michiko, a Japanese fighter can can herself out of any tricky situation with the help of her katana. Together they form quite the formidable trio. And there is little that together they cannot face. And all in an almost lady-like fashion.

So I love Steampunk stories. And I love stories about kick-ass girls. So basically The Friday Society  by Adrienne Kress was the perfect book for me. And once I started reading the story really didn't disappoint me. It always felt like there was something happening and often whatever was happening was quite the adventure. And if that wasn't enough, there was just the right amount of humour in The Friday Society. I often had a smile on my face while reading, if I wasn't actually laughing out loud, which actually happened on many occasions. I have to say that those chapter titles had an important part to play in why I was often smiling while reading. They were totally appropriate for the story and fit right in with everything else that was going on.

So like I've said before, this story is about some pretty kick-ass girls. Before I get into each of the girls specifically, let me just say that I loved the way each of the girls was introduced. Every time one of the girls was introduced there seemed to be an explosion. And that wasn't even the craziest thing to happen to any of the girls. Each of them brought something different to the table. Cora is quite the intelligence and resourceful young woman. Despite her modest background, she has managed to make so much for herself, especially considering the times she is living in. Nellie isn't afraid to tell it like it is, and she often had me laughing on multiple occasions with the way she talked. And Michiko, she was quiet and reserved but she was a fantastic fighter. Together they made quite the unlikely trio and I think that's what made them so endearing. They were just so unexpected that they basically worked. And they were a lot of fun to read about.

The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress was a fantastic read. Though I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from it, it was also one that took me by surprise. It wasn't long before I found myself being unable to flip the pages fast enough. You can be sure that I will be looking out for more by Adrienne Kress in the future.

Series Catch-Up Challenge Info & Sign-Ups!

So I absolutely love series. There's just something about being able to follow a story and its characters over the course of multiple books. Some of my favorite books are parts of series and sometimes the fact they are part of series is what makes it so I like them so much. But there is a downside to series. It seems to me that books in series come out faster than I can read them. As a result I am behind on so many awesome series that I actually really love. To remedy this, I decided I would challenge myself to catch up on some of the series I am behind on over the course of the next year. And I figured, why not encourage other people to do the same. So after many discussions with the wonderful Ciara from Lost at Midnight Reviews, we have come up with the Series Catch-Up Challenge.

The Details:

- Runs from January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013

- Goal is to catch up on as many series as possible 

- Two ways to meet your goal: number of books you've read to catch up series/number of series you've caught up on.

- On the first of each month there will be a post here and at Lost at Midnight Reviews so you can link up your reviews. For every review you link, you get one entry into a monthly giveaway.

- There will be a big giveaway at the end of the year.

Goals - Series Caught Up On
1 - 5: Series Newbie
6 - 10: Series Lover
11 - 15: Series Expert
15+: Series Fanatic

Goals - Books Read to Catch Up on Series
1 - 5: Book Novice
6 - 10: Book Aficionado
11 - 15: Book Connoisseur
15+: Book Maniac

I know I'm excited, just looking at my bookshelf I can count 21 series that I need to catch up on, some I've started, some I haven't started but just own all the books. I'm hoping to definitely finish some or catch-up with others so I will be ready for the release of the next title. 

So if this is something you are interested in, be sure to sign up below and tell everyone what series you are hoping to catch up on. If you have any questions, just e-mail me (emiliebookworld@gmail.com) or talk to me on Twitter (@emiliebookworld).

(Sign-ups appear here and at Lost at Midnight Reviews.)



If you want to show you are participating, grab one of the graphics below!

Waiting on Wednesday (68)

For those who don't know, Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers showcase books they are particularly looking for to. For the next few weeks, I'm going to be doing this a little differently. Like I did last year, each week I will be talking about books that are coming out early next year from different publishers. Up this week are January 2013 releases coming from HBG & Disney-Hyperion.

Altered by Jennifer Rush

January 2, 2013

A story that starts with a girl and a boy. A girl who loves a boy so much, she'll risk anything for him. ANd a boy who knows only one thing--kill anyone who stands in his way.

When you can't trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna's life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There's Nick, Cas, Trev…and Sam, who's stolen Anna's heart. When the Branch decides it's time to take the boys, Same stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There's just one problem. Sam and the boys don't remember anything before living in the lab--not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they're both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

Right when I first heard about Altered I knew I wanted to read it. There's just enough revealed in the summary to make me want to find out exactly what this book is all about.

Return to Me by Justina Chen

January 15, 2013

Nothing is going as planned for Rebecca Muir. She's weeks away from starting college--at a school chosen specifically to put a few thousand miles of freedom between Reb an her parents. But her dad's last-minute job opportunity has her entire family moving all those miles with her! And then there's the matter of her unexpected, amazing boyfriend, Jackson, who is staying behind on the exact opposite coast. 

And if that isn't enough to deal with, mere days after moving cross-country, Reb's dad drops shocking, life-changing news. With her mother and brother overwhelmed and confused, Reb is left alone to pick up the pieces of her former life. But how can she do that when everything can change in an instant? How can she trust her "perfect" boyfriend when her own dad let her down? Reb started the year knowing exactly what her future would hold, but now that her world has turned upside down, will she discover what she really wants?

Justina Chen, the acclaimed author of North of Beautiful, has created a moving and powerful novel about the struggled that arise from betrayal, the uncertainty of life after high school, and the joy that ultimately comes from discovering what's truly in your heart.

I absolutely loved Justina Chen's North of Beautiful when I read it a couple of years ago. So when I found out that she had a new book coming out, I just couldn't help but be excited about it. I am now eagerly waiting for it to come out.

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

January 22, 2013

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive. 

Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous--it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and walking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall. 

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

I never really got around to reading Victoria Schwab's debut, The Near Witch, but the summary for The Archived has me totally intrigued. And from what I've heard from people who have already had a chance to read it, it's just as good as it sounds.

Shadowlands by Kate Brian

January 8, 2013

Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived…and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye.

Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying not eh beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as they're starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?

So I've never read anything by Kate Brian, but this summary for Shadowlands piqued my curiosity. It sounds like a really interesting story and, again, from what I've heard it's as good as it sounds.

So these are the January 2013 titles I'm waiting on from HBG and Disney-Hyperion. Let me just say that there are lots and lots of good books coming out at the start of next year. Be sure to come back next week for the last of the January 2013 titles I'm waiting on. 

I'm Back!

So a few weeks ago I posted about how things have been going crazy with school and work. But as of 2:30 PM today I am done with my second to last semester of university. What this means for you is that I will be back to posting regularly. I have been reading so I have some reviews to post, I will also be part of the blog tours for Falling Kingdoms and The Friday Society, so be sure to keep an eye out for that. On Thursday I will also have a big announcement about something that will be happening on the blog over the course of the next year so be sure to come back and check it out. And of course since it's the end of the year I will be doing all those end of the year/beginning of a new year posts.

So all that to say that the blog will definitely be busy this month. And I just wanted to thank everyone for sticking with me while I got through all the essays.