As I mentioned in last week’s My Reading Pile post, due to the arrival of an out of town guest I knew I wouldn’t be around the blogosphere this weekend. So I had to schedule this post quite a bit early.

Which means that at the time I created this post I had no idea whether any books had arrived for me in the mail. If for some reason there turn out to be bookish surprises – though I’m expecting none – I’ll take a picture and include them in next week’s MRP post.

So, once again, this week I’ll only be able to ramble about the books I will, hopefully, be reading this week and not the books received. And because this is getting scheduled early, I have no idea if I’ll have finished last week’s reading pile.

But I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I have, so that I can start reading the two books I put on the pile this week. And, so…

Here are the books I have in my reading pile this week.
(April 21, 2013 – April 27, 2013)

First up on the pile is ICONS by Margaret Stohl. I received an early copy thanks to Jaime of Two Chicks on Books. She picked up a copy for me at ALA and I’ve been just dying to get this on the pile ever since. Especially since I’m still very much in the mood for all things dystopia/post-apocalypse.

I am so curious about just what happened on The Day and why Dol survived. But I really, really am dying to know exactly what this Icon is and why its power is so “terrifying.”

The description reveals enough to pique my interest and leaves enough of this story, its characters and its world in the dark to make me ever so curious. Curious about just what things these four teens – Dol, Ro, Tima and Lucas – have in common. Curious about just what conspiracy seems to be brewing.

And very curious about how the characters’ “uncontrollable emotions” could possibly be one of “their greatest strengths.”

The first line of the description gives me the chills and is a line that I hope sets the stage for an exciting and nail-biting story.

Next up on the pile is THE GIRL WITH THE IRON TOUCH by Kady Cross. I received an eARC for review from the publisher, Harlequin TEEN, via NetGalley and I’m so excited to get the chance to read this third book in the series just a bit early.

While I have some time before its release at the end of May, I couldn’t help but move it to the top of the pile when I found out that I would be on the tour next month. My stop is not a review stop, but I just have to know what happens in this third book before then.

Especially when the description mentions that Finley will be forced to confront her feelings about Jack and Griffin. And especially when it hints that The Machinist will be resurrected.

I absolutely loved the first two books in this series and the prequel novella. And I cannot wait to dive into this third book and go back in time to just before the turn of the 20th century, to London, and to the amazing steampunk world the author created.

Wishful Thinking Reads:

I have about a million and one wishful thinking reads this week. But if I had to choose just one it would be NAMELESS by Lili St. Crow. I have heard that this book is absolutely amazing. I have a copy on my Kindle and a signed copy on my book tower and I really, really wish I could add it to the TBR pile this week so that I could find out for myself just how awesome it is.

But as I am already so very far behind on my reads this month, I can’t possibly go off-pile to read it… which makes me want to read it all the more. But it really needs to remain on the wish list… for now….

Those Left Behind:

As I am creating this post early I don’t know if anything will be left behind in terms of reading. But I know I’m still behind with reviews. While I may have finally posted my review for THE ETERNITY CURE – at least I hope I have – I still have three… or is it four… reviews that have to be completed and posted.

And I know that I’ll be even further behind when I finish the two books from last week’s pile – BLACK CITY and PHOENIX. Because I won’t have had a single moment to post, let alone write reviews. Which take hours. And hours. And hours.

I also doubt I’ll have had time to read GODDESS by the time this posts. But I am ever hopeful. And I will be reading it prior to starting on this week’s pile because I’m just dying to know how that series ends.

I am still very much in a reading versus writing mood. But with real life stuff going on, I’m not going to be able to find much time for either. But, I suppose, that’s okay. I can’t always be online or have my nose buried in a book… can I?

NetGalley Pile Adds & Finds:

I didn’t request any new books since my NetGalley request binge last week. As of this post I still hadn’t heard back on any of my recent requests. I can only imagine that the publisher is inundated with requests, so I’m not going to hold out much hope I’ll get any of those titles I asked for.

And as this post is being created early in the week, I hadn’t noticed any new titles that were added. Though I did find a few that I clearly had missed. And they are…

CONFESSIONS OF AN ALMOST-GIRLFRIEND by Louise Rozett (Harlequin Enterprises Australia, Jul 1, 2013) **ONLY for Australian Bloggers/Reviewers**

A SHIMMER OF ANGELS by Lisa M. Basso (Month9Books, Jan 29, 2013) **A READ NOW Title**

GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS by Richelle Mead (Penguin Group Dutton, Jun 4, 2013) **Not a YA title**

The problem with searching for Teen/YA books is that you miss books like GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS by Richelle Mead! Oh my gosh I am so very tempted to request it. But I am going to refrain as I have way too many YA books I must be reading right now. I cannot wait for its release, though, as I have had this book pre-ordered for ages.

I don’t know what this week held for me in terms of posting, reading and reviewing. I’m sure I’ve fallen a little behind, as I know how I get when I have visitors… crazy.

I tend to be a little bit of a perfectionist, so getting my home “visitor ready” is a challenge of epic proportions and usually results in some form of minor injury. So blogging will have taken a bit of a back seat this past week.

I also found myself distracted by my new “tester” blog that Parajunkee Design created for me. It’s really way too pretty to be a tester, but I will not cave and make No Blog to See Here an actual blog.

And I do have upcoming posts to code in the coming weeks, so it’s really necessary for me to have one.

Anyway…

I’m sorry that I had to create this post early and have likely missed out on some really cool NetGalley adds. If you have been stalking NetGalley this past week and found any books you think should be mentioned before My Reading Pile posts next weekend, feel free to share in the comments.

Hopefully you’ve had more time to read and blog than I have this past week. And if you’ve read or received some awesome books, please let me know! If you have a post about them, feel free to leave your link in the comments so that I… or another visitor… can check them out!

As always, I hope that your reading pile has grown smaller rather than larger this past week. And as ever – Happy Reading!

***

Do you create a reading pile?
If so, what’s in your pile this week?

As you might or might not know, this week and weekend and part of next week I have a visitor in from out of town that I will be spending all my time with. I plan to enjoy all the fun and sun that my part of the country has to offer. And I plan on spending all my free time with her.

Which means that I won’t be around the blogosphere that much to chat, to answer email… to post… all of which makes me feel just a little bit guilty.

So, instead of posting my Random Thoughts, whose comments – if any – I won’t have time to respond to, I thought I’d have a “sorry for being an absentee blogger” giveaway.

And I decided to make it for a Book of Your Choice rather than for an ARC, as choice is always best IMO.

The book will be ordered from Amazon or The Book Depository and it can be a book up to $25 USD.

All my usual giveaway rules apply:

• You MUST be 13 or older to enter
• Only ONE entry per household
• Giveaway is International
• Book will be ordered from Amazon or The Book Depository depending upon location
• Winner will be announced in the Rafflecopter and contacted by email
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond

There, as always, are no hoops. So just answer the question in the comments which is to name the book you’d like to win.

That’s it!

And thank you for stopping by, and for sticking around, in my absence. My Reading Pile and Book Watch: Releasing This Week posts are scheduled for this weekend, so while I won’t be around, they will.

And while my sidebar may say I’m “Hanging with Demons,” to my knowledge my guest isn’t one of those. I’d really hate to have to call Sam and Dean to gank her if she were.

Anyway…

Enter in the Rafflecopter below…
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today I am so excited to be able to welcome author T.M. Goeglein to the blog to talk a little bit about his characters and his series, Cold Fury, in a post aptly titled “A Quest Paid in Blood.”

The first book, which shares the series name, COLD FURY, was released on July 24, 2012 and the sequel, FLICKER & BURN, is releasing on August 20, 2013 from Putnam Juvenile.

I just so happen to love this author’s writing and the heroine of his series, Sara Jane Rispoli, and I am so thrilled and delighted that he was willing to stop by and share a few details about what can be expected in FLICKER & BURN.

And after reading his post I am so glad I have an early copy for review so I don’t have to wait until August, because the sequel sounds even more awesome than its predecessor.

If you haven’t yet had the chance to “meet” the author or Sara Jane, I’ve included some information about both books in this series and about the author and places where you can find all of them online.

And because I loved COLD FURY I thought I’d offer up a couple copies for giveaway. That follows below the author’s post.

Whether you have read COLD FURY or you’re new to the series, you won’t want to miss what the author has to say about his characters and the story’s progression. And, yes, it’s spoiler-free, so be sure to check it out below.

“…the COLD FURY trilogy is a mafia thriller with a cast of characters that grow darker and more unscrupulous as the books progress”

About COLD FURY

Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure

Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance–until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).

Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It’s a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies–a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense–hidden in its pages the secret to “ultimate power.” It’s why she’s being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.

Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

About FLICKER & BURN

Sara Jane Rispoli is still searching for her missing family, but instead of fighting off a turncoat uncle and crooked cops, this time she finds herself on the run from creepy beings with red, pulsing eyes and pale white skin chasing her through the streets in ice cream trucks; they can only be described as Ice Cream Creatures. They’re terrifying and hell bent on killing her, but they’re also a link to her family, a clue to where they might be and who has them.

While she battles these new pursuers, she’s also discovering more about her own cold fury and more about the Chicago Outfit, how the past misdeeds–old murders and vendettas–might just be connected to her present and the disappearance of her family.

But connecting the dots is tough and time-consuming and may finally be the undoing of her relationship with the handsome Max–who’s now her boyfriend. But for his own safety, Sara Jane may have to end this relationship before it even really starts. Her pursuers who’ve shown her her mother’s amputated finger and the head of the Chicago Outfit who’s just whistled her in for a sit-down make a romance unthinkable.

The only thing that matters is finding her family and keeping everyone she loves alive.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Meet Sara Jane

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | TUMBLR 

About T.M. Goeglein

T.M. Goeglein began his career as a writer of print and television ads for a host of advertising and media companies. As a screenwriter, he created both original scripts and worked as a script doctor for several production companies in Los Angeles. He was an original contributor to the Huffington Post ‘Living’ section, and continues to write for both the national edition and Huffington Post Chicago. Read T.M. Goeglein’s stories on the Huffington Post.

His debut young adult novel, COLD FURY, was published by Penguin/Putnam on July 24, 2012 and is the first in a trilogy. It will be available in paperback in June 2013. The second installment in the Cold Fury series, FLICKER & BURN, will hit the market in August 2013. The author is currently working on the third book. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Laura, and two young children.

 WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | TUMBLR | GOODREADS

A Quest Paid in Blood

In COLD FURY and throughout the trilogy, my protagonist, Sara Jane Rispoli, is in possession of an unusual ability to control the thoughts and actions of other people.

To what degree is her otherworldly talent paranormal? The answer is presented in book II, FLICKER & BURN (available August 2103), as another truth emerges, as well – her internal power doesn’t make her immune to the external forces surrounding her seventeen-year-old life. Her best friend, Doug, suffers with body image and sexual identity issues, and her gorgeous cousin Heather, who appears out of the blue, is a severe popularity addict. Even the villains – bloodthirsty and remorseless in a way that only short-term memory loss can sustain – have devolved into extreme badness because they, too, despised their reality. Sara Jane is encircled by people willing to go to extremes in order to shed one identity for another, to think of themselves and to be thought of by others in an idealized way. The decisions they make damage not only their own lives but expand outward like a stone thrown into a pond, affecting her life, too.

In other words, precisely the type of dynamic at play in middle and high schools around the world.

The action and tension is heightened in FLICKER & BURN as Sara Jane descends deeper into the world of organized crime. Make no mistake – the COLD FURY trilogy is a mafia thriller with a cast of characters that grow darker and more unscrupulous as the books progress. There are no sexy vampires or dystopian woodland children in the series, but instead a real, live young woman desperately trying to find her missing family. In order to pursue that quest, she has to commit crimes and terrible acts of violence that change her from one type of person into another. Like Doug, like Heather and those bloodthirsty villains, Sara Jane makes decisions fully aware of the consequences.

Whenever I speak to readers, I remind them a lifetime of decisions lay before them, too. Like the shift of tectonic plates, external forces will, to a point, help shape what type of people they become. But the landmark issues, the ones that create the truest part of an identity, are usually a stark matter of right versus wrong. The choice is theirs.

What’s Up for Grabs?

A hardcover copy* of COLD FURY to TWO winners to be ordered from Amazon or The Book Depository depending upon location.

The Deets

• You MUST be 13 or older to enter
• Only ONE entry per household
• Book will be ordered from Amazon or The Book Depository depending upon location
• Winners will be announced in this post and contacted by email
• Winners have 48 hours after email notification to respond with their details

There is no requirement to like or follow, just leave a comment, but there  is an extra entry for following the author on Twitter.

*NOTE: the hardcover edition has the original cover which can be seen HERE. A pre-order of the paperback edition with the new cover can be substituted. It releases in June.

Enter in the Rafflecopter below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

THE ETERNITY CURE by Julie Kagawa will be released in the U.S. on April 30, 2013 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in both formats at AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by Harlequin TEEN, the print edition is 448 pages.

THE ETERNITY CURE is the second book in author Julie Kagawa’s Blood of Eden series. No information is yet available about the third book in the series.

THE ETERNITY CURE is the electrifying and wildly entertaining second book in author Julie Kagawa’s Blood of Eden series. Darker, grittier and even more suspenseful than the first, this sequel amps up the action, danger and tension levels, making this an intense, edge-of-your-seat read.

When Allison Sekemoto set off in search of Kanin, his rescue was her only goal. Still struggling with her humanity in this violent and ruthless world where lawlessness abounds, Allie fights to hang on to who she was before she became a predator. But when survival is dependent upon the need to feed, killing is sometimes her only option.

And as her journey leads her farther and farther away from the one thing that keeps her human, the price for Kanin’s safety may be steeper than she ever imagined.

Julie Kagawa has delivered yet another gripping and highly addictive installment in this series. She puts her heroine, Allie, in even greater danger as she attempts to save Kanin from his vicious and bloodthirsty captor, Sarren. She adds a new threat to this already perilous world that is struggling to survive. And she sets it all against a ticking clock, making this read a nail-biter.

The author does a brilliant job of mixing the elements of an epic saga, gritty dystopian and dark paranormal/urban fantasy with a touch of horror in THE ETERNITY CURE. Her characters are interesting and engaging, whether likable or unlikable, and her story captivating from beginning to end.

This second book in the series doesn’t suffer from sophomore slump – it is even more thrilling and action-packed than the first. It doesn’t serve as a bridge – the story could stand on its own. The author didn’t let the world-building suffer – if anything, she expanded upon it.

And while the young adult genre may be flooded with stories of vampires and zombie-like creatures set in a post-plague world, Julie Kagawa’s story and series sets itself apart with its diverse and appealing characters, its exhilarating adventure and the imaginative spin this author brings to each of her stories.

With surprising twists and an even more surprising ally, dangerous new enemies and even deadlier threats, and a betrayal that could cost her everything, Allie’s quest to save her creator in THE ETERNITY CURE is an incredibly exciting adventure with a shocking cliffhanger ending that will keep readers riveted.

Reviewer gives this book…

Like In-N-Out Burger‘s infamous secret menu this one deserves my off-the-menu 6 star rating.

On a personal note…

Oh my gosh this book was so wicked awesome. I LOVED every second of it. It was that good. Scratch that. Great. Scratch that. Amazing.

I did not think Julie Kagawa could top what she wrote in THE IMMORTAL RULES. I loved that book and I was so sure that the follow-up couldn’t get any better. But oh my gosh it did. By a lot.

THE ETERNITY CURE was so off-the-charts good that there are no words to adequately describe just how exciting it was to read. How riveted I was to the page as Allison set off on a quest to find Kanin. How unputdownable it was as the story unfolded. And how absolutely torturous that killer cliffhanger ending was.

Nope. No words…. Exciting. Riveting. Unputdownable. Torturous. I’m not counting those as words. Because they don’t even begin to paint a picture of just how awesome this sequel was. Or how desperate I am to get my hands on the next book in this series.

The description is pretty vague about Allison’s journey to find Kanin. It doesn’t reveal whether or not she makes the journey alone or whether she has a traveling companion or two. So I’m going to try to be just as vague when talking about this book so as not to reveal spoilers.

But what I can talk about – one of the elements in this story that I love, love, loved – is that this already dark world got even darker. A world of humans and vampires that was barely hanging on is now potentially on the verge of extinction due to a new outbreak and contagion.

I’d called the world in THE IMMORTAL RULES grisly, but the grisly in that book doesn’t hold a candle to just how grisly things got in this one. Dark. Grisly. Chilling. Violent. Heartbreaking.

Yes, somewhere amidst the chaos, between the action-packed battles and chases, the race against the clock to find Kanin, the encounters with the Bleeders and Molemen, there were moments that were so unbelievably heartbreaking.

Of course I won’t reveal whether it was just my heart that was broken or whether it was one or more of the author’s characters who suffered a broken heart, too. That little tidbit of information shall be my secret for now.

But there’s so much more to this novel than just darkness and bloodshed. There is plenty of that, but that’s not all that THE ETERNITY CURE delivers. There’s suspense. Tension of the nail-biting variety. A journey that is once again epic. Characters that are interesting and challenging and likable and detestable.

And if I’ve somehow given you the impression that this book is all doom and gloom, let me just add that there are also moments that are incredibly sweet and tender. Moments that will make your heart skip a beat or two.

So, yeah, this book has a little bit of everything and a whole lot of the stuff of awesome. Though that ending did kill me. Not only because of what happened but because it made me so desperate to find out just what comes next and gave me no way to do so.

Favorite passage…

There are three amazing passages I want to include here. And much to my surprise, they’re all Allie and Zeke passages. Given just how much I adore both Kanin and Jackal, it was a complete and total surprise when I narrowed down my very most favorite passages to those three.

Of course choosing one is nearly impossible. Though I suppose I should choose the shortest one as opposed to those longish ones that reveal perhaps a bit too much.

I felt him shift in my arms, holding me tighter, tucking my head under his chin. “Only death will take me away from you, vampire girl,” he whispered. “And even then, I’ll watch over you from wherever I end up.”

The Trailer…

THE END GAMES by T. Michael Martin will be released in the U.S. on May 7, 2013 in hardcover and eBook formats.

It is currently available to pre-order online in both formats at AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by Balzer + Bray, the print edition is 384 pages.

***

There are so many amazing books releasing the week of May 7th. So many, in fact, that I couldn’t even list all the books on my radar at the bottom of this post. And so narrowing down the list to just one book to spotlight was quite a challenge.

But the book that grabbed my attention awhile back and still has it over a month later is THE END GAMES by T. Michael Martin. So I just had to choose it as the book to watch this week, even though it shares a release date with some pretty awesome titles.

I am just so excited by this (hopefully) emerging trend of horror books in YA. THE END GAMES sounds like it will be an intense and totally gripping addition to the genre. The description calls this book a “transcendent thriller” with “electrifying action” and “unexpected romance.” And I cannot wait to discover this for myself.

The tagline is chilling, the cover is ominous and the idea of a real life game in which no one seems to be playing by the rules sounds like it will be incredibly suspenseful. Especially with beings like the “Bellows” that must be defeated. Beings who, according to the description, are changing.

I’m guessing it’s not for the better….

I can’t wait to learn just how the world ended and how it was brought back to life by the Game. I can’t wait to find out more about this Game Master, who the description dubs “mysterious.” And I am so very curious as to why the world ended on Halloween of all days.

While there are a few weeks until THE END GAMES releases, I don’t think I’m going to be able to wait until then before I dive in and join the game alongside Michael and Patrick. From everything I’ve seen and read about it, THE END GAMES is definitely worth knocking a few books off the pile to make room for it at the top.

A dangerous game. Hordes of flesh-eating creatures. Players who don’t believe in playing by the rules. For these reasons alone I’d put THE END GAMES in the spotlight. But they aren’t the only things this book has to offer. The description promises much, much more.

So even with an incredibly crowded release week, with books by a number of authors I so totally adore, there was no way I’d pass up the opportunity to call THE END GAMES the book to watch this week.

Places to Watch

The author on TWITTER

The author on FACEBOOK

The author’s WEBSITE

The author on GOODREADS

The author on TUMBLR

The author on YouTube

About the Book

Goodreads description:

It happened on Halloween.

The world ended.

And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.

Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.

In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.

But The Game is changing.

The Bellows are evolving.

The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.

And the brothers will never be the same.

T. Michael Martin’s debut novel is a transcendent thriller filled with electrifying action, searing emotional insight, and unexpected romance.

The Book Trailer

Other Amazing Books to Watch

Here are just a few of the other awesome books releasing the week of May 7th:

ICONS by Margaret Stohl

REBOOT by Amy Tintera

IF I SHOULD DIE (Revenants #3) by Amy Plum

FALL OF NIGHT (The Morganville Vampires #14) by Rachel Caine

THE 5th WAVE by Rick Yancey

INVISIBILITY by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan

MYSTIC (The Soul Seekers #3) by Alyson Noel

THE LUCY VARIATIONS by Sara Zarr

THE S-WORD by Chelsea Pitcher

TREMBLE (Denazen #3) by Jus Accardo

CHANTRESS by Amy Butler Greenfield

NANTUCKET BLUE by Leila Howland

THE ORIGINALS by Cat Patrick

Quarter Talk* is a new quarterly feature that I’m trying out here on Fiktshun. The plan is for it to be a quarterly post – hence the name – where I check in with five to ten bloggers to see how they answer the following five questions about favorite reads from the past quarter, anticipated reads from the upcoming quarter, recommended debuts, trends and covers.

While the blogger participants may change, the questions will remain the same. And on or around the 15th of the month after each end of Quarter there will be a new post where the bloggers I’ve invited will share their thoughts.

I will attempt to include a somewhat diverse, but small, group of bloggers in order to get a representative sampling of what’s “hot” and what’s on their radars each quarter. Therefore not all titles will be YA.

*Credit for the name Quarter Talk goes to Rachel of Parajunkee Design who created the banner. She came up with this title when I drew a blank as to the name I’d originally decided upon and couldn’t come up with a clever alternative when put on the spot.

Quarter Talk Participants

For this first Quarter Talk, the blogger participants are…

Question 1

What has been your favorite read during the first quarter of 2013 (January-March)?

Jaime says…

I read it before January but since it’s a January release I’m using it. SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard. It’s by far one of my favorites of 2013 and will be on my top 10 list for sure.

…Mindy says

Dang you Rachel! This question is so hard to answer! It’s a toss-up between THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green and SWEET PERIL by Wendy Higgins. I’m a super fan of Wendy Higgins’ Sweet Trilogy, so SWEET PERIL shouldn’t be a surprise one bit…Oh!, this book was amazing. And THE FAULT IN OUR STARS just blew me away! I’m so in love with this book that I want to marry it.

Kt says…

YA – WITH ALL MY SOUL by Rachel Vincent – This book was INCREDIBLE. I just cannot express my sheer and utter love of this book. It was everything I had hoped for in the series ender.

Adult – WRITTEN IN RED by Anne Bishop – This one really caught me off guard. I have to be honest, that the blurb didn’t grab me, but I decided to give it a chance anyway. Boy am I glad I did! It was absolutely fantastic! It just is everything an Urban Fantasy should be. The monsters were actually monsters, not the romanticized versions that have become rather prevalent here as of late.

…Jenna says

ELEANOR & PARK by Rainbow Rowell, hands down. The lives of these two characters, their difficulties in connecting with their family and peers, their personal struggles and (most of all) the development of their relationship with each other… Rainbow’s brilliant treatment of all these items combined makes ELEANOR & PARK THE BEST contemporary novel I have ever read. Ever.

Alba says…

As always, asking me such difficult questions woman!! But since I seldom get the chance to read just released books or debut authors’ books this time the answer hasn’t been as hard to make.

And since I can’t remember if I’m allowed to cheat I’ll just call it me being clever… Or something.

Seriously though, the first book that comes to mind, the one that’s on top of my fave reads so far has got to be BREAKING POINT by Kristen Simmons. I was absolutely stunned at how much a book could impact and surprise and shatter me. It even was special since I haven’t actually read Article 5, but the way the author depicts the setting, her writing, and the characters… They all made me forget I was reading a sequel to which I hadn’t read the prequel of just yet. I cried so hard and sometimes I just felt dumb from all the awesomeness of it all.

There’s SINS & NEEDLES by Karina Halle of course, which simply blew my mind and let us not forget my first read EVER of author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s writing as J.Lynn-> WAIT FOR YOU, which melted my heart into puddles and puddles of something I don’t even know the name of.

…Lisa says

Wow, hard but great question. I can’t pick just ONE that’s been my favorite so how about a few books that I’ve loved so far this year? ELEANOR & PARK By: Rainbow Rowell, THE 5TH WAVE By: Rick Yancey, THE TRAGEDY PAPER By: Elizabeth LaBan, DARK TRIUMPH By: Robin LaFevers, THE COLLECTOR By: Victoria Scott, THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT By: Veronica Rossi… Okay, so I’ve read a few that I’ve loved. I’m sure I’m missing some but those are at the top of my list.

Ashley says…

THE COLLECTOR by Victoria Scott.

…Katie says

CLOCKWORK PRINCESS by Cassandra Clare! This is my all time favorite book so far. I LOVED IT!

Question 2

What is your most anticipated book releasing in April-June 2013?

Jaime says…

I read ahead a lot so I don’t really have any that are most anticipated since I’ve read the ones I really wanted to. But out of the group I’ve read it has to be THE TESTING by Joelle Charbonneau. It’s a dystopian and I LOVED it!!!

…Mindy says

SWEET PERIL is my #1 but I was lucky to have already read it!

Kt says…

Books that I have an ARC of but haven’t read yet:

YA – FALL OF NIGHT by Rachel Caine – I’m a huge fan of the Morganville series, and I’m super excited to see how Claire copes with the HUGE choice she made in the last installment!

Adult – DARKNESS UNMASKED by Keri Arthur – I LOVE LOVE LOVE Keri’s books. Whenever I need a pallet cleanse from YA books, I go straight to Keri’s books as I know she will bring the smexy time while still having a stellar plot and great characters to boot!

Books that I have to wait until release day for (sad face )

YA – GODDESS by Jospehine Angelini – I cannot wait to see how things play out. I’m a sucker for star-crossed lovers!

Adult – TEMPEST REBORN by Nicole Peeler – I’m both excited for and yet dreading this one as it brings the end of a much loved series. I’ll definitely miss Jane’s Snark.

…Jenna says

THE 5th WAVE by Rick Yancey. I am hearing about this one all over the interwebs – and after reading the first 70 pages released so far, I am HOOKED. Yay for getting the opportunity to meet the author on May 18th!

Alba says…

No way!! You’re kidding right??

First of all I KNOW I’ll mess this up somehow because I’ve never EVER been good at release dates, therefore I’m pretty sure I won’t mention books that I know I’ll die when they release in between April and June but since I don’t know their exact release dates I’ll try not to feel like bawling after I realize the ones did I miss mentioning.

The first book I’m DYING for right this moment is actually the sequel to one of my favorite reads in Q1. SHOOTING SCARS by Karina Halle. Because, really, who WOULDN’T be dying after THAT FREAKING ENDING THAT SIMPLY TOOK MY HEART and shredded it so bad that when I pasted it back up it wouldn’t even resemble a human organ T_T I need this book in my life NOW!

But also, I’m really excited for OATH BOUND (Unbound #3) by Rachel Vincent, she’s one of my all time favorite authors and even though I’ve yet to read the first 2 books I’m incredibly excited for her while also sad because I believe this is the last book

…Lisa says

I have two – SIEGE AND STORM By: Leigh Bardugo & ARCLIGHT By: Josin L. McQuein. Those are right at the top of my must reads for April & June.

Ashley says…

Oh God… I was DYING for TOUCH & GEAUX (Cut & Run #7) by Abigail Roux and it was AMAZING!!!!!

I’m also freaking out for:

INVISIBILITY by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan and DANCE OF THE RED DEATH by Bethany Griffin.

…Katie says

Oh that’s a good question. There are a lot of books coming out I can’t wait to read it, but I’d have to say Leigh Bardugo’s SIEGE & STORM, even though I’ve read it, I can’t wait for it to actually be out.

Question 3

What debut book/author released in Q1 2013 would you recommend?

Jaime says…

There’s 2 actually! THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER by Megan Shepherd and SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard. Both are fantastic books!

…Mindy says

SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard and THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER by Megan Shepherd.

Kt says…

YA – Kasie West (PIVOT POINT) — This book really impressed me and I absolutely adored the main character. I also loved the way the story was told as the two paths twisted around each other. Definitely worth checking out!

Adult – Anne Bishop (WRITTEN IN RED) This isn’t her debut novel by far, but it is the first in a new series, and she is a new to me author. As I said earlier, it was fantastic.

…Jenna says

THE END GAMES by T. Michael Martin. Post-apocalyptic zombie books rarely get better than this. May also appeal as a crossover for fans of Justin Cronin or Stephen King. I read it and loved it – and so did my husband. THE END GAMES is the first book he’s read through completely in just about years – and he liked it!

Alba says…

I haven’t read any.

…Lisa says

Easy! Hands down, without questions – THE COLLECTOR By: Victoria Scott.

Ashley says…

Crap… I don’t know that I’ve read any debut authors! :/ I haven’t!!! I’ve only read 42 books so far… I need to read a couple this year!!!

…Katie says

I loved Shannon Messenger’s LET THE SKY FALL, and I also enjoyed Kasie West’s PIVOT POINT, and Megan Shepphard’s THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER.

Question 4

What genre/sub-genre/trend do you think was “hot” during the first quarter of this year?

Jaime says…

New Adult was very hot! Unfortunately it’s not a genre I would read so I haven’t fallen into the hype.

…Mindy says

I think that the hot trend is “New Adult Contemporary.” I gave EASY by Tammara Webber a try, and I really liked it even though this genre is still something I won’t be frequently reading.

Kt says…

Hmm that’s a really hard one. I think YA books are still holding very strong, especially dystopian and paranormal. I’m also seeing an increase in YA lite sci-fi, which I’m really enjoying.

On the adult side of things, Urban fantasy and paranormal romance still seem to be holding strong. (Thank goodness! I’d hate to run out of new books to read. Never mind my massive, about ready to kill me, TBR pile.

…Jenna says

Series Continuations and Endings – if that even counts as a trend. I think the most dominant thing I have seen this quarter is series continuations and endings. SHADES OF EARTH, SCARLET, THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT, BOUNDLESS, ASUNDER, REQUIEM, EVERBOUND, SHADOWS IN THE SILENCE, UNRAVEL ME, LIGHT, RISE, DARK TRIUMPH… shall I go on? No particular genre, just series in general.

Alba says…

Oh wow, can I say New Adult?! I don’t know if it is already considered an official genre but it sure had a sudden surge in everyone’s kindles.

It’s become so huge that a LOT of YA authors have tried it out or have re-released their books that from the beginning were for a more mature audience but didn’t get noticed until after this huge thing.

I’ve considered myself a fan ever since I read Tammara Webber’s EASY.

And WOW another trend. Can you say “hello” to that trend of black & white covers with colored font used for the tittle? Funny, that these 2 trends come in a package.

So for me, New Adult plus Black & White covers was kind of “Hot” but I wouldn’t mind some change in the cover department.

…Lisa says

Well, if we’re talking new(ish) categories, I’d say “New Adult.” A lot of people (like me) are all over books that fit into this category. I know it’s caused some commotion throughout the blogosphere, but for me it’s a new favorite. As for genre’s… Contemporaries are high on my watch list as is High Fantasy. I’m more into if it looks good/sounds good I’ll give it a try.

Ashley says…

New Adult has been super hot this year! Along with the influx in erotica!!!

…Katie says

Great question, and I think Contemporary. I’ve read some great ones, but personally, I feel like I’ve heard more recs for contemp books than anything else.

Question 5

What is your favorite cover of Q1 2013?

Jaime says…

CLOCKWORK PRINCESS was probably my favorite even though the end of the book disappointed me quite a bit.

PULSE by Patrick Carman is a close second though. I may not have liked the book but the cover is gorgeous! And I’m kind of sick of chicks in dresses lol

…Mindy says

SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard…hands down!

Kt says…

YA – WITH ALL MY SOUL by Rachel Vincent – Okay, it is another “girl in a dress” cover, but that gold is stunning and made it really stand out for me.

PIVOT POINT by Kasie West- I love mirror image covers, and this one may just take the cake for me with the bubble distortion.

UNRAVEL ME by Tahereh Mafi- I have to admit that I’m not usually a big fan of cover makeovers in the middle of the series. I hate it when my books don’t match. That being said, I think they really nailed it with the eyes on these covers. Simply stunning!!

Adult – EVER AFTER by Kim Harrison – I love this series, and this cover shows Rachel in all her Bad-assery!

BETWEEN by Kerry Schafer – I love all the many details of this cover. From the scales on her arm to the dragon in the globe, even the fact that her clothes are sensible rather than the usual leather clad stuff we see. Definitely a fan of this cover!

…Jenna says

Ohhh, tough question. I really appreciate the visual imagery on the covers of both UNRAVEL ME by Tahereh Mafi (best redesign ever) and THE ARCHIVED by Victoria Schwab (which is also a very nice cover to pet, may I add) – but since I can’t get my mind off of ELEANOR & PARK, I also can’t help but think that simplistic covers are great, too. Can I jut say all three??

Alba says…

THIS IS THE MOST TORTUROUS QUESTION OF THEM ALL!

But since I’ve already written more than was asked of me I’ll have to just go ahead and say, SINS & NEEDLES by Karina Halle cover is ABSOLUTELY and COMPLETELY fitting for the story!

But my favorite is EVERBOUND by Brodi Ashton and WITH ALL MY SOUL by Rachel Vincent.

…Lisa says

I think that would have to be LET THE SKY FALL By: Shannon Messenger….  It’s been one of the most memorable for me, just so beautifully done. Kind of mesmerizing from the movement shown in the graphic to the colors. I just love it!

Also, I think it should be mentioned that there have been some pretty amazing covers being produced lately for self published authors. One I loved is THE DEEPER WE FALL By: Chelsea M. Cameron. Oh and another self published cover that I think is pretty amazing – THE SPACE BETWEEN By: Kristie Cook. I think I’ll leave it at these three because I keep thinking of others I could add to this list.

Ashley says…

SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard.

…Katie says

There have been a lot of fabulous covers, but I’m going to say CLOCKWORK PRINCESS. I love the covers in this series, and I’m not normally a fan of seeing people on covers like this, but I’ve loved seeing Will, Jem and Tessa.

In Sum

Well there you have it. Quite an interesting mix of favorite reads in Q1. Some bloggers chose previously released books, others selected books yet to be released. The same is true for Q2 anticipated reads. Not everyone got a chance to discover a new debut author. And the consensus seems to be that the New Adult trend was “hot” during the first quarter even if not everyone is a fan. Also in keeping with the varied results, cover love seems to be all over the map.

*** UPDATE: Given the addition of an eighth participant, much of the summation still stands, though now it’s less a consensus and more a slight majority saying that New Adult is the “hot” trend.***

What Do You Think?

But that’s what those seven eight bloggers think. What about you?

Do you agree with any of their picks? Would you answer the questions differently if you were asked?

Is there a trend or genre/sub-genre that you think is “hot” right now that wasn’t mentioned? Or do you think the blogger participants covered all the bases?

Leave a comment if you do. I’d love to know!

And if you’d be interested in participating in the next Quarter Talk, coming July 15th, feel free to CONTACT ME.

I am so excited to be a part of the tour for MOONSET by Scott Tracey who happens to be one of my very favorite authors. I had the chance to read MOONSET early and may have read it more than once… more than twice… more than that, even… and I can only say that it was amazing and where’s the sequel?

While I won’t be posting my review as part of the tour – apparently I have several posts scheduled for today – it will be up on the blog on Wednesday. So if you’d like to see what I thought about the Moonset coven, its legacy and its characters, feel free to stop back then.

For today, though, I have an awesome interview with children of MOONSET and with the author. And while I’d love to ramble on for awhile, because this post is long and because the interviewees are much more interesting than I could ever be, I’ll stop now.

Of course I have to share the book’s description – just in case you haven’t seen it – some places where you can find it online, a short bio of this incredibly talented author (with photo) and places where you can find him online.

If you’re already a fan and know all about this book and author, then just skip ahead to the interview and be sure to check out the giveaway below for a chance to win one of five copies of the book!

Now, without any further ado, may I present to you….

About the Book…

Moonset, a coven of such promise . . . Until they turned to the darkness.

After the terrorist witch coven known as Moonset was destroyed fifteen years ago—during a secret war against the witch Congress—five children were left behind, saddled with a legacy of darkness. Sixteen-year-old Justin Daggett, son of a powerful Moonset warlock, has been raised alongside the other orphans by the witch Congress, who fear the children will one day continue the destruction their parents started.

A deadly assault by a wraith, claiming to work for Moonset’s most dangerous disciple, Cullen Bridger, forces the five teens to be evacuated to Carrow Mill. But when dark magic wreaks havoc in their new hometown, Justin and his siblings are immediately suspected. Justin sets out to discover if someone is trying to frame the Moonset orphans . . . or if Bridger has finally come out of hiding to reclaim the legacy of Moonset. He learns there are secrets in Carrow Mill connected to Moonset’s origins, and keeping the orphans safe isn’t the only reason the Congress relocated them .. .

GOODREADS | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | FLUX

About the Author…

Scott Tracey is a YA author who lived on a Greyhound for a month, wrote his illustrated autobiography at the age of six, and barely survived Catholic school (and definitely not for the reasons you might think).

He is the author of WITCH EYES, chosen as one of Amazon’s Best LGBT Books of 2011, as well as an ALA Popular Paperback in the Forbidden Romance category. The final book in the WITCH EYES trilogy, PHANTOM EYES, will be released in the fall of 2013.

He is also the author of MOONSET, a new series which will be released April 8, 2013, as well as a contributor to the SHADOWHUNTERS & DOWNWORLDERS anthology, edited by Cassandra Clare.

His career highlights include: accidentally tripping a panic alarm which led to nearly being shot by the police; attacked in a drive-thru window by a woman wielding a baked potato, and once moving cross country for a job only to quit on the second day.

His gifts can be used for good or evil, but rather than picking a side, he strives for BOTH (in alternating capacity) for his own amusement.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | TUMBLR

 The Interviews

Justin…

Even though you’re not the oldest you seem to be the one in charge, the one trying to keep the peace. How do you feel about shouldering this burden? Are you angry that Mal hasn’t taken the lead?

It has to be someone’s job. I don’t mind that it’s me. I mean, it’s not easy all the time: trying to keep everyone from killing each other is a full time job on even a good day. Mal gets too angry sometimes, he wouldn’t make a good mediator. So I think it’s a good thing that it’s me. At least I can try to make everyone happy.

Would you rather be normal – no magic, not related to the Moonset coven – or is having magic worth all the negatives?

Ouch. Give up my family just to be free from who I am? Never. I mean, sure magic might have its downsides, but I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t have all of them. They’re my family. I like who I am. I like who they are. And how would I ever make up for what my parents did if I didn’t have the gifts that I have?

Jena…

What do you think about Carrow Mill? If you knew your last expulsion would land you in this town would you have done it anyway?

We moved from the middle of No-One-Cares to a town filled with Witches and Covens? I call this a win-win. Sure, things in town are a little…off. But we’re always being taught by sideshow talents with only a few tricks up their sleeves. I want to know the things the Covens know. Where better to start learning?

No one wants to talk about how stifling our last town was. There are a lot of places we’ve gone where the town is small and in the middle of nowhere, but you can tell the witches know what’s up. This wasn’t one of them. We didn’t even get any real training. Kids my age should be able to cast a decent glamour on themselves. I can barely eavesdrop on someone in the next room. Tell me how that’s fair?

What is your favorite way to piss Justin off?

Some days all it takes is a smile, did you know that? It drives him crazy, wondering what’s going on in my head. That’s the thing about Justin – I always know what he’s thinking, and he can never really figure me out. So sometimes I walk around with a smug little smile and wait for him to implode.

Malcolm…

How does it feel to be stuck with your siblings? You’re the one most likely to be able to live a normal life, do you think that’ll ever happen?

A normal life? You’re kidding, right?

Look, we are what we are. There’s nothing that I can do about it. I leave schools when they have to leave, I move when they move. Wherever they go, I have to follow. Normal has a restraining order out on me. I can’t get within five hundred feet of it.

Do I think it’ll ever happen? No. I’ll be with the rest of them until we die.

Cole…

If you could pull a prank on one of your siblings, who would you prank and why?

Mal, of course. Bailey cries too easily, and no one in their right mind pisses Jenna off. And Justin’s boring. Besides, Jenna gets dibs on that. But Mal freaks out and it’s always hilarious. This one time, I took pictures of him sleeping and posted them up around the school, and girls wouldn’t leave him alone! They had to have a sexual harassment assembly just for him. I mean, not like for him, like he was the only one there. I mean there was one for the whole school, because of the way people treated Mal.

What do you think about the Witchers? Cool or creepy?

Dude, have you seen them? They’re so badass. One of them saved my life, y’know. Quinn’s cool. He has this knife thing and he can use all kinds of wicked magic with it! He used it to stop this gash on my face from bleeding and then turned around and blew up a building like it was nothing!

I tried asking him to show it to me, but he said not until I was older. Which is lame, because Justin and Jenna and Mal are older, and they don’t do anything fun with knives. They don’t do anything fun anyway, but especially not with knives.

Bailey…

What are the best and worst parts of having Jenna as your sister?

Oh…I don’t…is she going to read this? I don’t know.

Jenna’s sweet, she really is. She shows me how to do stuff, she makes sure I’m taken care of, she protects me when she thinks I need it. It’s just…she’s under a lot of pressure. I think it’s harder for her than the rest of us, and she doesn’t want us to know that. I don’t think she wants us to get in trouble, but she just doesn’t know of any other way to make her point.

I just wish people would stop treating her like she’s the worst of us. She’s really not. Evil people don’t take their little sisters shopping and stay up half the night talking about boys. Or do makeovers together. I just wish people could see the Jenna I see, sometimes. I wish Jenna could see. Because I think she’s starting to believe what they tell her. And that scares me.

My Thoughts…

Justin – Your answers just prove why you’re the perfect one to “lead” your family. You rock!

Jenna – Ha! A “little off”???? Really, Jenna? Though it is totally unfair that you can’t glamour yourself. That would be an awesome skill to have. Oh, and I didn’t know that about Justin, though I should have guessed.

Mal – You sound a little resigned, a little depressed. Time for a coffee run? Maybe Justin could make one for you.

Cole – Hehehe! Poor Mal. But you totally chose the right sibling to prank. Love it! As far as the Witchers, I have not had the chance to see them first-hand. And as much as I’d love to, if they were around, that would mean something really bad was going to happen.

Oh, and Cole, you’re scaring me just a little bit with your fascination with knives….

Bailey – Somehow I don’t think Jenna wants everyone to see just how great a person she can be. And I agree, she’s not evil. But magic can be a dangerous thing….

Scott Tracey…

If the Moonset coven were pitted against the Lansings and the Thorpes who do you think would win? Whose magic would you say is strongest?

Well, the Moonset kids have the curse that protects them from being separated/killed, so in a full out assault I’d say they’d win out. But if the Lansings/Thorpes did their research, they might find alternative ways to deal with them.

Magic wise, definitely the Moonset kids. At least the potential is there. In Witch Eyes, everyone has a certain level of strength and/or skill. Jason and Catherine are leagues above most witches, and Braden is leagues above them. But in the Moonset world, you’re only as strong as what spells you’ve learned, but anyone can be a powerful badass. At that point, it becomes a numbers game, and there’s 5 Moonset kids, and only two adults. Moonset all the way.

Who would you say is the strongest character in MOONSET? The most magically inclined? The most clever? The most secretive? The most complicated?

It’s funny, because I’m working on the second book now, and my answers would change significantly between the two books. But since we’re talking MOONSET, here’s what I would say.

Strongest: If we’re talking straight up ‘witch fu’ it’s a tie between Illana Bryer and Quinn, the kids’ guardian. Quinn doesn’t really get a chance to flex his muscles too much in Moonset, but his reputation is well earned.

Magically inclined/clever: These go hand in hand. Jenna is the MacGyver of the group – she has a knack for taking a dozen harmless spells, and finding a way to combine them towards explosive results. Justin is clever, but in different ways, and his gifts would suit him well in rivaling Jenna for most magically inclined. The two of them have the potential to be the most dangerous (in a much different way than Bailey) out of all the Moonset kids. Which is to be expected, because their parents were the most magically gifted members of the original Moonset coven.

Secretive: Justin. The adults keep a lot of secrets, but Justin has an inherent distrust of anyone outside of his family unit, even when keeping secrets is to his detriment. Maybe it’s because he knows that sometimes, a good leader has to hold back, but he has trust issues on a monumental scale.

Complicated: Jenna for sure. Yes, she can come across a thoughtless, spiteful person, but I think there’s a whole interior of mushy emotions and fear that she’s trying to conceal. Jenna to me is the most layered character of the five, because I think that there’s always something deeper at play with her. That’s part of the reason she dislikes Ash so much, because in a way they’re too much alike.

Quinn was another character who played a fairly significant role in the story. How would you describe him and his role? Do you think Justin and his siblings see Quinn the same way you do?

To me, I see Quinn as the older brother that the kids always needed. Even if they don’t understand it like that. He’s someone in a unique position – he’s one of the heir apparents to the witch Congress (as the grandson of the two most politically powerful witches around), he’s one of the most highly regarded Witchers to come out of training, and he’s one of the few people who doesn’t look at Justin and the others and think “Moonset.” It affords him a position where he’s able to look out for the kids, and try to guide them, in the way that an older sibling should.

Quinn’s one of my favorite characters, because I see him as being something different to each of the Moonset kids. He models himself after what he thinks each of them need, so as a result the relationships he forms with each of them is just a little bit different. It’s not just that he’s looking out for the kids, but he knows them. He knows how they behave, what they want out of life. And he genuinely wants to be a part of their lives.

If you could pick one line of dialogue that made you grin while writing it, what would it be?

“You look like Betty White’s grandmother, and you smell like a Kardashian!”

Basically, any time Cole is in a good mood and feeling mouthy, it’s my favorite.

Each of your chapters offers up a little bit of Moonset’s history. What made you decide to reveal pieces of the dark coven’s past in that way? And is this something we’ll see more of in the sequel?

I’m not sure where the idea first came from, but I remember latching onto it as soon as I wrote the first one. I needed something in terms of Moonset’s history, and it became an extension of the worldbuilding, because of course in a world where magic was regulated there would be books written, interviews done, investigations, etc.

Each book will probably continue this trend, but not in the same way. Book one was the ‘setting the stage’ book, so it was mostly about Moonset and the war they started. The second book’s epigraphs will be tailored to the mysteries of that book. But so far, I only have one written for sure. (I don’t write the epigraphs until after the book is done).

You’re working on the sequel to Moonset right now. How is the research for the second book different than what you had to do for the first?

Well, with the first book, most of my actual research was just in putting together the theories about how this world worked. How the government operated, who was in control, how Moonset had happened, etc. So I spent a lot of time figuring out the structure of the world. My goal was to create a world of witches that was bogged down in bureaucracy and ineffective because of its size. Shades of our real world government, in a way.

With the second book, I’ve had to do a lot more actual research. The first book was all about setting the stage, and the second has become more about advancing the story. I’ve had to do a lot of research into psychopathy in teenagers, what causes psychotic breaks, other types of disorders that stem from a loss of control.

And then of course there’s the fun stuff: there’s a wealth of websites that deal with abandoned structures, and the people who investigate them. Second to actually going to these places to investigate for yourself, a website full of stories and high-res pictures of it’s current state are incredibly inspiring. I like to think of Carrow Mill as a quintessential New England kind of town, but it’s a town with a big history. So I think that probably around the time Moonset came to it’s end, the town reincorporated itself, shedding layers and buildings that no longer fit it’s “new” image. The idea that there are parts to the town that were just cast aside or swept under the rug fascinates me.

My Thoughts…

Yay for the children of Moonset! Though I’d still love to see a full out Lansing/Thorpe assault. That would be awesome!

Woot, I love Quinn! And not just because he’s older, has mad skills and is a great guardian. But what he does… oh, I probably shouldn’t say, should I?

LOL re: the MacGyver reference. Explosive, I totally agree. But I think her results are more of the “happy little accidents” variety. And I love that you dropped the reference to Bailey in there. And oh Justin and his trust issues. Though I think Jenna probably has some major ones, too.

Love Jenna! And I love layered characters. Makes them much more interesting. I’d love to see a story from her POV at some point.

I’m so glad to hear from you that Quinn is in fact genuine. As much as I do love him, I always have trust issues with characters in his particular position. The fact that you tell me he’s genuine makes me smile. Of course, I am a little worried you’ll change your mind down the road…. Yes, I have trust issues as regards authors and their characters, too.

Cole is awesome! That line, LOLOLOL!

I love those peeks into Moonset’s history. I don’t usually pay attention to things at the beginning of a book’s chapters as I find they pull me out of the story, but in MOONSET they were tidbits of info that I was excited to discover.

Ahh research…. I would say it doesn’t sound like fun, but “psychotic breaks”? “Psychopathy”? Yeah, that could be very interesting. But… OH MY GOSH what is going to happen in book two!?!

Those neglected buildings from a bygone age fascinate me, too. I can’t wait to see what you do with all of that… and your other… research. So… how long again until the sequel?

Forget about these tours, KEEP WRITING!

And I just have to say a huge THANK YOU to the author and his characters for sharing all sorts of insights with me and my blog’s readers. You totally made this final stop on the tour ROCK!

The Giveaway

The very awesome publisher is offering up for giveaway FIVE copies of MOONSET. It is US ONLY and you must be 13 and older to enter.

There are no requirements to like or follow, just answer the question from the Rafflecopter in the comments section about which witches sound more like your kind of witches – those from the author’s Moonset coven or those from his Witch Eyes series. (The description for WITCH EYES can be found HERE.)

There are also a few extra entry opportunities (not required).

Just enter in the Rafflecopter below…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Tour Schedule

As this post is super long, I’ve only included the tour schedule for this last week of the tour. But if you’d like to check out the full schedule you can find it on Rockstar Book Tours HERE.

But for those of you who have signed up and made it through month TWO…

CONGRATULATIONS!

I am so happy to see that a couple of you took the plunge and read WITH ALL MY SOUL by Rachel Vincent. And I can’t believe that BOUNDLESS and CLOCKWORK PRINCESS made a few of your reading lists this month. Both books are ones I haven’t been able to bring myself to say goodbye to. And believe me, I’ve tried!

And wow, Lena and Lis did so amazing this month! I’m more than a little bit jealous. Especially as, for me, this month wasn’t so great. I didn’t think it would be, but I hoped….

Many of the books on my pile were first and second books in a series, not series-enders. But to be fair, I had to read the Eve Trilogy for the Epic Reads event, so I couldn’t get to all the series ending books I’d wanted to.

Of course, the main reason I wasn’t able to read all three titles I’d hoped to read this month was that I just couldn’t say goodbye. It’s so hard! Especially with books you know will involve many tears. Like CLOCKWORK PRINCESS and FORETOLD.

But I hope I’ll be able to muster up the courage this month for both those books. I’m not wholly confident, but I’m going to try.

Anyway…

The only series-ending book I read (and reviewed) this month is…

RISE (Eve #3) by Anna Carey

And while I did manage to post my review for WITH ALL MY SOUL, I still need to post my review for A TOUCH MENACING.

So while I’d planned on reading CLOCKWORK PRINCESS and FORETOLD last month, this month I’m going to try and read GODDESS by Josephine Angelini and SPELLBOUND by Rachel Hawkins in addition to those other two.

Hey, I did say try not will….

But what books are you looking forward to dreading the ending of during this third month of the challenge? I’d love to know!

Just a reminder of what to do….

When you’ve read the book and shared your thoughts online – whether on Goodreads, Facebook or your blog – stop back and leave a link in the Linky. At the end of this third month of the challenge I’ll throw the names into Random and choose a winner for ONE series ending book of your choice.

The more books you link up each month means more chances to win. And it also means you’ve managed to overcome any fears of seeing your favorite series end. Which is a good thing. Right?!?

The winner for this month’s Don’t Let It End Reading Challenge Book of Your Choice is….

Katrina of Bookish Things and More 

Congratulations! You’ve won a series-ending books of your choice. Please email me – or fill out my contact form – with your book of choice and your address and I’ll order it from Amazon or The Book Depository – or pre-order them if they’re not yet released.

I wish you all the very best of luck, once again, for this third month of the Don’t Let It End Reading Challenge. If you’re like me, this is getting harder rather than easier, but if not… YAY!

This month’s challenge ends on May 13th and the Month Four post will go up on May 14th. As ever, I wish all your series-ending reads to end happily… or at least be bitter-sweet… and most definitely not end on the edge of a cliff.

Leave your links for your thoughts and/or review posts below.

The end is now officially here. Well, for me anyway. My time as an The End is Here newbie is up. Yes, today is the last day of my two-week allotment to discuss all things Eve Trilogy. And while I’m sad to say goodbye to this super fun event, I was even sadder saying goodbye to Eve, Arden, Clara, Caleb and Charles.

I loved getting the opportunity to share my thoughts on my blogs and on the Epic Reads Eve Trilogy forum page, but it’s time to move on and maybe, just maybe, say goodbye to Cynthia Hand’s Unearthly trilogy. Though I don’t know that I’m quite ready for that.

I’d originally planned on announcing the winners in this post, but as all four giveaways ended at Midnight – a minute ago – and I have two other posts that have to go up after this one, I couldn’t schedule this post for later so that I could choose and announce the winners here.

But I will be posting them on The Annex at 1 a.m. PDT. So be sure to head over there to see if you’ve won.

Final Thoughts…

I am going to be brief, because I don’t think I left a single thing out as regards my thoughts about this series in my reviews (EVE, ONCE, RISE) and in my discussion posts here (EVE, ONCE, RISE) and on The Annex (EVE, ONCE, RISE).

I will just say that this series was an incredibly exciting one to discover. I might not have taken the plunge quite so quickly if it weren’t for this event. And I am so thrilled that I was a part of it so that I could move these books from my TBR Pile to my Read Pile.

I loved taking the journey with Eve through a world that was anything but easy. She had some difficult choices to make and while I might not always have made the same ones she did, I think she was pretty courageous.

As much as I loved exploring the landscape and meeting all the characters in her world, the future that Eve is a part of is one that I hope never becomes a reality. It’s harsh, it’s violent, it’s cruel. And while there is a light at the end of the tunnel – yes, I used that phrase very purposefully – her world is a long way from recovering from the plague that left it decimated.

The Eve Trilogy is one I definitely recommend. I think each reader will find something different to take away from it. And I think each reader will make a different connection to the characters, especially Eve. Which is an absolutely wonderful thing about these books.

And while the world may be harsh, the story is just so easy to fall in love with and the covers are absolutely gorgeous.

The Forums…

If you would like to learn more about this series, you should definitely head over to the Epic Reads forum – HERE – or their EVE page – HERE.

And if you’d like to chime in on the forum discussion I started for EVE’s The New America – CLICK HERE – the discussion about the surprise twist in ONCE – CLICK HERE – or the discussion about Eve’s Predicament in RISE – CLICK HERE – I’d love to hear what you think!

 The Giveaway

What’s Up for Grabs?

As promised, I am giving away the set of Eve Trilogy books that I received for review from HarperCollins. (Available with or without Post-its.)

As I have the series on my Kindle and print copies don’t fare well in my seaside environment I had to offer them up for giveaway!

The Deets

• There will be ONE winner
• Giveaway is US/Canada (sorry, shipping gets too costly for three hardcovers)
• Only ONE entry per household
• Must be 13 or older to enter
• Winner will be chosen by Random via Rafflecopter and will be announced in this post and emailed
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond

As always there is no requirement to like or follow, but I am adding a couple extra entry opportunities to follow the author and Epic Reads on Twitter!

Enter in the Rafflecopter below…
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Below are the YA books releasing this week that I am spotlighting for my “Book Watch: Releasing This Week” post.

These are books for the week of April 16th-April 22th that I have pre-ordered.

TAKEN by Erin Bowman will be released in the U.S. on April 16, 2013 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order in both formats at AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by HarperTeen, the print edition is 352 pages.

TAKEN is the first book in a series of the same name by author Erin Bowman. The second and third books in the series, both currently untitled, are slated for release in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

I have been so very curious about TAKEN by Erin Bowman since I started hearing the chatter about it a few months ago. While I didn’t actually hear what was being said, only that this book was being talked about, it made me head over to Goodreads to take a peek at this book’s description. Which then sent me straight to Amazon to pre-order it for my Kindle.

I want to find out what this “Heist” really is about, why boys disappear on their eighteenth birthdays and where they end up. And I can’t wait to meet Gray Weathersby and find out exactly what the Council’s secrets are.

I love books in which the main character has a mystery to solve and TAKEN sounds like it has an awesome one. I cannot wait until it releases on Tuesday to take a peek.

And I may even have to pick up a print copy if the cover is as gorgeous as it looks online.

BREATH by Jackie Morse Kessler will be released in the U.S. on April 16, 2013 in hardcover, paperback and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in all formats at AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by Graphia, the print edition is 336 pages.

BREATH if the fourth and final book in author Jackie Morse Kessler’s Riders of the Apocalypse series.

I have been reading the books in the Riders of the Apocalypse series out of order, and there will be no exception to this when it comes to BREATH. I cannot wait until my copy downloads this week so that I can check out this story about Death, who is a character I’ve very much wanted to know more about.

As I’ve already put this in the spotlight for my Book Watch post, I will keep this simple. I can’t wait to read BREATH. I can’t wait to see whether Xander is able to help Death with his suicidal thoughts. And I can’t wait to see just how this final book wraps up this most interesting of series.

Jackie Morse Kessler has taken a risk with these books, and for me it’s one that paid off big time. Her stories are original, compelling, thought provoking and incredibly well-written.

If I can’t squeeze BREATH onto the pile this week, I’ll definitely be sneaking a read in over the next couple of weeks. And then I’ll go back and read the one remaining book in the series that I haven’t yet read – LOSS.

DEAD SILENCE by Kimberly Derting will be released in the U.S. on April 16, 2013 in hardcover, audio and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in all formats at AMAZON and in hardcover and eBook formats at BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by HarperCollins, the print edition is 400 pages.

DEAD SILENCE is the fourth book in author Kimberly Derting’s The Body Finder series.

Everyone has said how amazing this series is, and I just know I’ll agree with them once I get the chance to read each of the books. I own every single one of the previous three books in the series, and when my pre-order copy of DEAD SILENCE downloads on Tuesday, I’ll own all four.

But I haven’t yet had the chance to meet Violet or solve any of the mysteries she’s helped to solve. And because of that I really don’t want to take a peek at the description for this fourth book in the series, which I just know would reveal something about its predecessors.

As I am so behind on the series, I won’t be reading DEAD SILENCE this week. But I’d love to be able to catch up on this series as part of the 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge… even though I have no idea if this fourth book is the final book or if there are other books planned in the series. I’d hate to jump in this late in the game and then have to suffer the wait for future books. But if it is as awesome as everyone says it is, the wait would be worth it.

Decisions, decisions….

THE SYMPTOMS OF MY INSANITY by Mindy Raf

Pub. Date: April 18, 2013

Publisher: Dial

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

***

TRUE (Elixir #3) by Hilary Duff

Pub. Date: April 16, 2013

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

***

FURIOUS by Jill Wolfson

Pub. Date: April 16, 2013

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co. Books for Young Readers

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

***

GAME (Jasper Dent #2) by Barry Lyga

Pub. Date: April 16, 2013

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

***

DOMINATION (C.H.A.O.S. #3) by Jon S. Lewis

Pub. Date: April 16, 2013

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

***

I don’t have very many YA books pre-ordered this week. And only two of the three books are ones I will be reading - hopefully – soon. But there are a few other titles releasing this week that have caught my eye. And there may be other books releasing that I’ve forgotten I’ve pre-ordered that will be downloading on Monday Midnight.

Though I hope I’ve discovered them all and that this week’s book buying won’t break the bank as it has been these past couple of months. As I’ve been going a little blog design crazy I could use a few “slow” release weeks to give my wallet a rest.

Besides, I have so many amazing books just begging to be read and I’d love to be able to catch up on those before my TBR pile gets any bigger.

So, YAY for slow release weeks! And it is kind of nice that some books will get the chance to be in the spotlight that might not otherwise have been if they were to release alongside some of the more hyped or blockbuster titles.

And while I’ve just said I’d love not to have any more books that I must purchase this week, I really would like to know if there’s a book or two I should buy. Because I’d rather spend a little money now than miss out on a must read book. So if you know of any, just leave a comment!

As always, I would love to hear what you’re hoping to add to your collection this week!

And if you have any great suggestions of “must read” books to buy that are releasing this week, please let me know!