Novella Reading Week has ended. Wow that went fast! I’d been debating making it a two-week event, but it seems that one week was the perfect length in order to get a few of those novellas read and not cause too much of a backup for those review books.

And I cannot thank Mindy of Magical Urban Fantasy Reads enough for co-hosting this event with me. It was nice to know that even if no one else took part in the challenge this past week, she was joining me in my quest to clear a few novellas off my TBR pile.

But she wasn’t the only one participating in Novella Reading Week! I am totally stoked that there were so many awesome readers joining us this past week. And I cannot wait to check out each and every one of the reviews.

Mindy and I will be gathering all the participants entries – from the Linky List and from the comments on our posts – and we’ll throw them into Random to choose the winners, which will be announced in our Novella Reading Week Begins posts on Tuesday.

I hope that you got a few novellas cleared off your piles and that at the one, or ones, you did read made it worth your while. And I can’t thank you all enough for joining this event and for sharing your thoughts about those novellas you did read.

My Novella Reading Week…

While I didn’t get every novella read that I wanted to read, I did reach my goal of reading seven novellas for this challenge. I’d originally chosen five books to read for the challenge, but decided to aim for seven and I managed to read them all.

Though I would have liked to read the other five novellas I’d earmarked, I wouldn’t have been able to read all those stories and have any time left over to write reviews. So I stuck with just my seven initial picks.

And while I only posted reviews for four of the novellas I read, I did end up writing six reviews before the challenge officially ended and hope to finish writing the last one momentarily. The three remaining reviews will be posted on Tuesday and Wednesday as I have a blog tour scheduled for today.

The novellas I read for the challenge were…

UNDONE (Unbreakable #1.5) by Elizabeth Norris. (Review)

GLITTER & DOOM (Masque of the Red Death #1.5) by Bethany Griffin. (Review to post Tuesday)

DIE FOR HER (Die for Me #2.5) by Amy Plum. (Review)

RADIANT (Unearthly #2.5) by Cynthia Hand. (Review)

DESTROY ME (Shatter Me #1.5) by Tahereh Mafi. (Review in progress)

FLIRTING WITH MAYBE by Wendy Higgins (Review to post Wednesday)

ORIGINS: THE FIRE (Mila 2.0 #0.5) by Debra Driza. (Review)

So while it wasn’t a complete success, I do consider this past week a success. I read seven novellas I’ve been wanting to read – some for quite some time. I managed to fall in love with some of my favorite series all over again. And reading a couple of the novellas gave me the push I needed to finally be willing to say goodbye to those series. Which, for me, is a win.

Your Novella Reading Week…

But enough about me. What about your novella reading week?

Did you read all the novellas you wanted to read this week? Did you read more than you’d planned? Or did you read fewer than anticipated?

Were the novellas you did read ones that you absolutely adored or were some more of a miss than a hit?

And, whether you read one or twenty-one, do you consider this a successful novella reading week for you?

If you’d like to share your thoughts, I’d love to know!

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 June 11th-June 17th that I have pre-ordered.

ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE by Kate Karyus Quinn will be released in the U.S. on June 11, 2013 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in both formats at AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by HarperTeen, the print edition is 432 pages.

I am so excited for the release of ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE on Tuesday. I’ve had it pre-ordered ever since I stumbled upon it a few months ago and I cannot believe that release day is finally almost here.

I did get an eARC for review but was having a bit of an issue with the formatting, so I decided to wait to finish it when my Kindle edition downloads. But it hasn’t been easy… the wait has been killer.

This book is so completely different from any of those I’ve read in recent years. The author’s voice and the way the story presents itself is quite unique. And the story is most definitely “haunting,” as the description so aptly calls it.

While I haven’t yet finished reading it, I have read enough to know that this is my kind of book. And I cannot wait to see how it all ends next week, just as soon as Novella Reading Week ends.

DANCE OF THE RED DEATH by Bethany Griffin will be released in the U.S. on June 11, 2013 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in both formats at AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by Greenwillow Books, the print edition is 336 pages.

DANCE OF THE RED DEATH is the second and final full-length book in author Bethany Griffin’s Masque of the Red Death series.

I cannot wait for both my eBook to download and my print copy, with its beautiful deckle edge, to arrive on Tuesday. DANCE OF THE RED DEATH was an amazing follow-up to the first book in the series. And as sad as I am that the series has ended, I am so unbelievably stoked to have had the chance to read it early.

As it was my Book Watch pick a few weeks ago, and I plan on posting my review on Tuesday, I won’t go rambling on and on about this sequel. I’m also just a little bit afraid that I might reveal too much, like why certain events broke my heart, why I was fascinated with what happened at the party, why I couldn’t decide between Will and Elliott.

I probably should stop now…. Though I just have to add that things are even more dire in DANCE OF THE RED DEATH, things do get resolved by the story’s end, and there are things in this book that made me cheer, things that made me tear up and many, many things that made me so very, very nervous.

While I won’t be re-reading it this week, I will be reading the novella, GLITTER & DOOM, and I hope to be able to read both books in this series again this summer.

RUSH by Eve Silver will be released in the U.S. on June 11, 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 Katherine Tegen Books, the print edition is 368 pages.

RUSH is the first book in author Eve Silver’s The Game series. The second book in the series, PUSH, is slated for release in 2014 and the third book in the series, CRASH, will be releasing in 2015.

I hadn’t heard much about RUSH until I saw the cover pop up all across the blogosphere a few months ago. The cover was awesome and the title grabbed me so I decided to pre-order it for my Kindle without having actually read the description.

And if I had realized I had an early copy thanks to Jaime of Two Chicks on Books, I would have checked it out a bit more before its release. But as release day is just about here, I’m a little too late to do that.

But now that I have taken a peek at the description, I’m totally intrigued. Is it a game? Is it reality? And just what is the “deadly turn” the description mentions? I want to know.

While I can’t check it out this week, I think I’m going to have to add it to the pile in the next few weeks, because it sounds just a bit different than the books I normally read.

SPIES AND PREJUDICE by Talia Vance will be released in the U.S. on June 11, 2013 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in both formats at AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by EgmontUSA, the print edition is 304 pages.

I love author Talia Vance’s writing. And I’m totally stoked to be able to add SPIES AND PREJUDICE to my collection this week. While I’m not exactly an Austen fan, I do think the framework of her story is interesting and I love the idea that this story gives that one a nod.

Even if I hadn’t read a book by the author before, I would have pre-ordered this book for my Kindle based on the first line in the description – “Fields’ Rule #1: Don’t fall for the enemy.” Because it tells me two things about the book – one that Fields is going to be a character I like and, two, she is going to fall for the enemy.

But the rest of the description also makes me excited to read this book. It sounds like a lot of fun with a bit of a mystery and two characters I can’t wait to meet. And I cannot wait to get this on my reading pile. Which I definitely plan to do after the challenge.

THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS: ACT TWO by A.R. Kahler will be released in the U.S. on June 11, 2013 in Kindle serial book format only. A paperback edition will be released in August.

Published by 47North, it is currently available to pre-order online at AMAZON.

THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS: ACT TWO is the second book in author A.R. Kahler’s The Immortal Circus series.

I am so in love with this series and I’m so glad that it was brought to my attention this past winter. I loved reading the first book in the series in serial format and I’m totally thrilled to be able to add THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS: ACT TWO to my collection this week. Well… episode one, that is.

Though I actually got the chance to read this just a bit early. And so I got to experience this second book in its entirety, in one sitting, instead of in serial format. Which makes me happy and sad. Happy because I don’t have to wait between reads. But sad because I know exactly where each episode ends and begins and just how deliciously torturous it would have been to experience as a serial.

Even though I have read ACT TWO already, I think I am going to re-read each Episode as they release, to experience it that way again. While it won’t be quite as torturous, I think I still will be anxiously awaiting the next episode’s release. And given all the stuff that happens in the Cirque des Immortels and all that is revealed about Vivienne, I just know it will be every bit as exciting a read as it was the first time.

BORN OF ILLUSION by Teri Brown will be released in the U.S. on June 11, 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.

BORN OF ILLUSION is the first book in author Teri Brown’s series of the same name. The second book in the series, BORN OF DECEPTION, is expected in 2014.

I am devastated that I didn’t get the chance to finish reading BORN OF ILLUSION before its release. I’d received an early copy from Jaime of Two Chicks on Books and read about one-fourth before I was forced to set it aside to read the books I needed to read for review.

But I have had it pre-ordered for my Kindle and I cannot wait until it downloads so I can read the finished version. And I think I’m going to end up purchasing the print edition which has a deckle edge, because the cover is gorgeous. I’m just waiting to see if it has a matte or glossy finish first.

I love the time period the story is set in – the 1920s. I love that it’s set in New York and involves illusionists and real magic. And I cannot wait to continue this story and find out just what happens with Anna Van Housen and whether she is related to the “greatest magician of all.”

If I can get it on the pile again before the end of the month I will be a very happy girl.

A MATTER OF DAYS by Amber Kizer will be released in the U.S. on June 11, 2013 in hardcover, audio and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in all formats at AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by Delacorte Press, the print edition is 288 pages.

When I saw that author Amber Kizer had a new book releasing last month I instantly added it to my pre-orders. I hadn’t heard of A MATTER OF DAYS until I was searching for June releases for my Book Watch post last month.

I immediately added it to buy, but didn’t actually read the description until I was creating this post. But now that I have, I think it sounds totally cool – the world sounds wonderfully dark and the journey sounds like it will be fraught with danger.

Traveling across the country in the hope of finding a survivalist compound through a world that has been decimated by the BluStar pandemic sounds like it will be incredibly exciting. And with no promise that this destination will even exist makes it sound that much more of a nerve-wracking adventure.

I can’t wait to find out what happens to Nadia, Rabbit and the rest of the kids on this journey and whether their trip was in vain. And I hope to do so early next month during the holiday.

LINKED (Linked #1) by Imogen Howson

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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BURNING by Elana K. Arnold

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Delacorte Press

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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THE GIRL WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO DIE by April Henry

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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INFAMOUS (Fame Game #3) by Lauren Conrad

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Harper Collins

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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MORTAL FIRE  by Elizabeth Knox

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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THE SECRET INGREDIENT by Stewart Lewis

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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BOY NOBODY (Boy Nobody #1) by Allen Zadoff

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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PLAGUE IN THE MIRROR by Deborah Noyes

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Candlewick

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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BELLE EPOQUE by Elizabeth Ross

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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GHOST TIME by Courtney Eldridge

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Skyscape

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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CHARM & STRANGE by Stephanie Kuehn

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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FAR FAR AWAY by Tom McNeal

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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MY CHEMICAL MOUNTAIN by Corina Vacco

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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THE SIREN’S SECRET (The Shapeshifter’s Secret #2) by Heather Ostler

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

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DEVIANT by Helen FitzGerald

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Soho Teen

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

***

Reprint edition

THE SACRIFICE (The Enemy #4) by Charlie Higson

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

(AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE)

Once again this week there are a ton of new books releasing. While I only have seven books pre-ordered, there are a few of the books of note that I’m definitely interested in taking a longer look at, including LINKED and BURNING. But for now I’m going to stick with pre-ordering just the seven.

Fortunately not all seven are being added to the pile – I did finish two of them – though both read books are ones I plan on re-reading….

But hopefully I’ll get a chance to read a few more of the new additions to my collection before the month is out – ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE, SPIES AND PREJUDICE, BORN OF ILLUSION – and the remainder I’ll get to finish next month. But, I suppose, that shall remain to be determined.

Anyway…

As this is such a long post, with all the new releases this week, I’ll stop rambling and just say that I hope you have some amazing new books getting added to your collection this week. And if I missed something in my searches, please let me know! As I never, ever, want to miss an awesome title that should be in my permanent collection.

As always, happy book acquiring and happy reading!

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!

It was a fairly quiet week at the mailbox this week. Granted, I didn’t check my mailbox since Tuesday. But aside from a few books I’d traded for that won’t be here until next week, I wasn’t expecting anything.

Which is why the one book that showed up on my doorstep on Tuesday night was a complete and total surprise.

[Credit for mailbox sharing goes to The Story Siren]

I was ecstatic when I opened the package late Tuesday night and inside was a copy of EARTHBOUND (Earthbound #1) by Aprilynne Pike thanks to the amazing folks at Razorbill. It was completely unexpected. I may have tried to request the eARC ages ago from either NetGalley or Edelweiss but I was too late to the party and quotas were reached.

I love, love, loved the author’s Wings series and I’m so unbelievably stoked to be able to read the first book in this new series just a little bit early. I’m actually so very tempted to try and squeeze it in before Novella Reading Week, but if not, it will be the first book on the pile next week.

I didn’t put in any new requests this past week at Edelweiss. Sadly I did not get approved for Holly Black’s novel. But I did get approved for two amazing titles from NetGalley, both of which I’m anxious to get on the pile really soon.

But this week, my pile is going to be just a little bit different. And so…

Here are the books I have in my reading pile this week.
(June 9, 2013 – June 15, 2013)

In last week’s post I may have mentioned that I, along with Mindy of Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, have decided to challenge ourselves (and anyone who wants to join in) to read as many novellas as we possibly can. So, from June 10th through June 16th (Monday through Sunday) I will be reading only those novellas I have on my eReader.

Which means that My Reading Pile this week is going to be a little bit different.

And while I may not stick to the list of novellas I currently have on the pile, these are the five books I am hoping to read this week….

GLITTER & DOOM (Masque of the Red Death #1.5) by Bethany Griffin

I read DANCE OF THE RED DEATH a couple of weeks ago and I still can’t believe I had to say goodbye to this amazing series. And with everything that happened in that book, diving back into the series with this novella will be bittersweet.

And I’m so curious how much of a difference it would have made to both reads had I read this novella before I read the final book….

Either way, I’m totally stoked to be able to dive into this short story which sounds absolutely ahhhh-mazing!

DESTROY ME (Shatter Me #1.5) by Tahereh Mafi

I had DESTROY ME on the reading pile months ago. I even started it. Warner is my favorite character in the series so I was totally stoked when he got a novella all to himself.

And yet I still haven’t actually read it….

But that will change this week. And while I am reading it out of order, as I’ve already read UNRAVEL ME, it would have been the same no matter what, because I’d received an early copy of UNRAVEL ME and read it before this novella was released.

ORIGINS: The Fire (Mila 2.0 #0.5) by Debra Driza

I wanted to read this the moment I finished MILA 2.0 but my schedule just wouldn’t allow. But now that I have a little time I’m super curious as to just what Mila would see if she did relive the fire.

I believe this came out before the first book in the series, so I’m curious as to just how much detail they go into about who and what Mila is. And it will be interesting to see how it might have changed my perception of those early chapters if I had read it first.

DIE FOR HER (Die for Me #2.5) by Amy Plum

I haven’t yet read the final book in the series, so I’m so thrilled to be able to read this novella in the correct order in which it was released. I have a feeling that IF I SHOULD DIE is going to have a lot to do with Jules and so I’m glad to be able to read this now, before whatever happens in that book happens.

I love this author’s series and Jules is one of my favorite characters. He might even be my favorite. So I’m totally excited to get the chance to read this novella this week.

FLIRTING WITH MAYBE by Wendy Higgins

I am a huge fan of author Wendy Higgins. And while this novella isn’t one that’s connected with her Sweet Trilogy, I’m super excited to read another story penned by her.

I haven’t read a contemporary story in awhile, but I’m really excited to read one that sounds sweet, fun and swoon-y.

And as the author is one whose writing I absolutely adore, I just know it’s going to be awesome.

And if I have just a bit of extra time – if I manage to read one novella a day – I’m going to pick two of these…

UNDONE (Unraveling #1.5) by Elizabeth Norris

RADIANT (Unearthly #2.5) by Cynthia Hand

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN PERU (The Bane Chronicles Part #1) by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD (Throne of Glass #0.1) by Sarah J. Maas

… though I have a feeling that I’ll be reading UNDONE even before I read all five of my chosen reads.

Wishful Thinking Reads:

EARTHBOUND by Aprilynne Pike. The book I received for review this week. It’s sitting right next to me, begging to be read. And I really want to give in to temptation. But I do have a bit of a reading challenge that I’m hosting and I really need to stick to plan. So I think that EARTHBOUND will have to remain a wishful thinking read. At least for another week.

Those Left Behind:

I didn’t really get any reading done this past week, except to finish STAR CURSED, which took an extra day or two due to my crazy schedule this past week. And while I started reading OF POSEIDON, I won’t get to finish it before I have to start reading this week’s reads on Monday. And as I want to be able to read that book and OF TRITON back-to-back, I’m going to wait to read them until after Novella Reading Week.

But I also ended up putting PHOENIX back on the pile and I did start reading that book from the beginning, too. So I will likely end up finishing that book tomorrow and will hopefully have time to sneak in a review this week.

I ended up writing and posting three reviews this week, so I’m starting to get caught up. But I still have to finish my review for GODDESS, which I hope to post this week, write my review for DANCE OF THE RED DEATH, which I plan to post on Tuesday and maybe, just maybe, write a review for INDELIBLE, which I won’t be posting until July.

But that remains to be determined.

Taking the week to read novellas is going to put me a bit further behind on books I should be reading now, but I’ve wanted to do this for ages. So I am. I can’t only be reading for review or to try and complete those other reading challenges I’m doing, can I? I say, “No!”

NetGalley Pile Adds & Finds:

I did not request any new books on NetGalley this week. but I did get approved for the two books I requested last week, CROWN OF MIDNIGHT by Sarah J. Maas and WILD CARDS by Simone Elkeles. Which was a huge – and awesome – surprise.

They’re both books I want to get on the pile really, really soon, even though neither book is releasing for awhile.

***

Although I haven’t requested any of these titles, there are a few I’m definitely interested in. But as I’m really trying to finish reading the eARCs and printed ARCs I already have for review, I am going to try and refrain.

NEVER FADE (The Darkest Minds #2) by Alexandra Bracken (Disney Book Group, Oct 15 2013)

QUARANTINE: THE SAINTS (Quarantine #2) by Lex Thomas (Egmont USA, Jul 9 2013)

THE ENCHANTER HEIR (Heir Chronicles #4) by Cinda Williams Chima (Disney Book Group, Oct 1 2013)

SOMETIMES NEVER, SOMETIMES ALWAYS by Elissa Janine Hoole (Flux, Nov 8 2013)

PIROUETTE by Robyn Bavati (Flux, Nov 8 2013)

… Well that didn’t last long. I did end up clicking to request NEVER FADE by Alexandra Bracken. I’m not certain I’ll be approved, but I would love to be able to read the two books in that series back-to-back and requesting it for review will give me the added incentive to get them both on the pile.

I think I’m out of my reading slump. There’s always something wonderful about reading books outside of what you’d normally read and then being completely surprised by them that helps bring back the happy feels. There’s also just something so lovely about reading a physical book now and then. Even if it means clamping on a book light to read in the dark.

I am looking forward to this week’s reads, although they are all in electronic format. But the idea of short forays into the worlds I know and love holds such an appeal at the moment.

And while I have many, many, many more novellas on my Kindle begging to be read, even if I do I think I’m going to be able to read more than one a day, I may just stop at seven. I want to be able to enjoy them a little bit and not turn this week into a read-a-thon.

Anyway…

I think I was actually in more of a reviewing slump than a reading slump. I just couldn’t find the words to convey my thoughts. But after having read both BORN WICKED and STAR CURSED, they reappeared. As if by magic. And so I am very, very hopeful I’ll have reviews done for GODDESS and DANCE OF THE RED DEATH this week.

And maybe, just maybe, I’ll write quickie/mini/micro reviews for the novellas I’m reading. Fingers crossed.

But what about you? Did your books arrive safely from BEA? Have you started reading any of those books yet? If you didn’t attend the event, did you get some exciting new books in the mail or did you buy a few that you’ve already added the pile?

I’d love to know what you received and are reading this week!

***

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

I am so unbelievably stoked to be kicking off the tour for DANCE OF THE RED DEATH by Bethany Griffin. This series is absolutely amazing. From its intriguing characters, to its dark world, to its gorgeous writing. It is a series I consider a must, must, must read.

While I would have loved there to have been a third book in this series, DANCE OF THE RED DEATH was an amazing conclusion and I cannot wait to read the novella, GLITTER & DOOM, next week. Because, although I finished reading this final book in the series last week, I’m still not ready to say goodbye to the characters and this world.

And while I would love to talk about just how this book ends for the characters, whether good or evil wins, whether everyone survives, I probably should remain silent. And I probably shouldn’t talk about just why it was so difficult for me to decide who I liked better – Elliott or Will – or who I thought was worse – Prospero or Malcontent.

But just like the first book in the series, DANCE OF THE RED DEATH was beautiful and gruesome and haunting and bittersweet and completely and totally captivating from beginning to end. And I cannot recommend this series enough.

Although I’ve rambled on for far too long already, I just have to add that I’m so thrilled that the author and her characters stopped by to share their favorite passages from this sequel. While I would have loved to know which passages were Alice and Malcontent’s favorites, asking for more than the five passages I have to share from Elliott, Will, Araby, Prospero and Author Bethany Griffin would have been way too greedy.

And, no, I will not reveal which character the author is talking about in the passage she is sharing. If you want to know who that is, you’ll have to read this amazing book, which I have some information about immediately below along with places to find it online. And in case you haven’t yet “met” the author, there’s a short bio and places to find her online, too.

This tour also has a few awesome giveaways, so be sure to enter in the Rafflecopter. And if you’d like to check out some of the other stops on tour this week and next, the schedule is included at the bottom of this post.

About the Book

DANCE OF THE RED DEATH by Bethany Griffin

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 336

Bethany Griffin continues the journey of Araby Worth in Dance of the Red Death—the sequel to her teen novel Masque of the Red Death.

In Dance of the Red Death, Araby’s world is in shambles—betrayal, death, disease, and evil forces surround her. She has no one to trust. But she finds herself and discovers that she will fight for the people she loves, and for her city.

Her revenge will take place at the menacing masked ball, though it could destroy her and everyone she loves…or it could turn her into a hero.

With a nod to Edgar Allan Poe, Bethany Griffin concludes her tragic and mysterious Red Death series with a heroine that young adult readers will never forget.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | THE BOOK DEPOSITORY

About the Author

Bethany Griffin

Bethany Griffin is a high school English teacher who prides herself on attracting creative misfits to elective classes like Young Adult Literature, Creative Writing, and Speculative Literature. She is the author of HANDCUFFS and MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH. She lives with her family in Kentucky.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Top 5 Favorite Passages

Guest Post

Elliott’s favorite passage…

Will’s favorite passage…

Araby’s favorite passage…

Prospero’s favorite passage…

Bethany’s favorite passage…

Giveaways

There are four awesome prizes being offered up for giveaway on this tour…

GRAND PRIZE – Poe nail decals, MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH inspired bracelet, hardcover copy of DANCE OF THE RED DEATH, bracelet and a bookmark!

PRIZES – 3 hardcover copies of DANCE OF THE RED DEATH, bracelet and bookmark!

Giveaway is US/Canada ONLY.

*** The giveaway book prizes have been updated. They are for copies of DANCE OF THE RED DEATH.***

Enter in the Rafflecopter below…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Tour

Week One

June 3rd – Fiktshun – Guest Post

June 4th – Two Chicks on Books – Guest Post

June 5th – Katie’s Book Blog – Interview

June 6th – The Starry-Eyed Revue – Guest Post

June 7th – Burning Impossibly Bright – Character Interview

Week Two

June 10th – Coffee, Books and Me – Guest Post

June 11th – Shelfspace Needed – Review

June 12th – Shortie Says – Character Interview

June 13th – Lust For Stories – Review

June 14th – The Bookish Brunette – Review

DANCE OF THE RED DEATH by Bethany Griffin will be released in the U.S. on June 11, 2013 in hardcover and eBook formats.

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

Published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, the print edition is 336 pages.

DANCE OF THE RED DEATH is the second, and final, full-length book in author Bethany Griffin’s Masque of the Red Death series.

There are a ton of amazing books releasing the week of June 11th that I’d love to spotlight. But as I have to choose just one book, DANCE OF THE RED DEATH by Bethany Griffin is it.

Without a doubt, it’s my most anticipated book releasing that week. It’s the book I’ve been dying to read ever since I finished MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH. And it is absolutely amazing. Yes, I’m reading it right now and it’s even better than I hoped it would be.

Of course I wish this series was a trilogy as I’d first thought it would be. Just knowing that when I reach the story’s end it will all be over, makes me want to read this sequel really, really slowly. But it’s proving to be a bit of a challenge.

Because, as I may have already mentioned, it’s amazing. And I want to know how Araby exacts her revenge. I want to know which boy she chooses, if any. And I want to know how it all ends.

There’s just something so hypnotic/beautiful/wonderful about author Bethany Griffin’s writing. I am immediately transported into the story whenever I pick it up and the rest of the world just disappears and is replaced by the one she created.

I love the characters – Araby, Will, Elliott and even Prospero – the fact that this series is inspired by Poe’s story, and that the author has not only made it her own but did so in such a way that, while reading, I often forget it was inspired by anything other than her own creativity.

Even though I will have read DANCE OF THE RED DEATH before its release date, it is still the book I am most excited for releasing on that date. And it’s not because I am awaiting the print edition with its gorgeous cover and deckle edge to add to my collection along with the eBook. It’s because this series is one of the ones that I think is unforgettable and plan on reading again and again.

So, as excited as I am about several of the other books releasing the week of June 11th, there is no other book I’m anticipating quite as much as Bethany Griffin’s amazing sequel, DANCE OF THE RED DEATH. Which is why, for me, it is the book to watch this week.

Places to Watch

The author on TWITTER

The author on FACEBOOK

The author’s WEBSITE

The author’s BLOG

The author on GOODREADS

About the Book

Goodreads description:

Bethany Griffin continues the journey of Araby Worth in Dance of the Red Death—the sequel to her teen novel Masque of the Red Death.

In Dance of the Red Death, Araby’s world is in shambles—betrayal, death, disease, and evil forces surround her. She has no one to trust. But she finds herself and discovers that she will fight for the people she loves, and for her city.

Her revenge will take place at the menacing masked ball, though it could destroy her and everyone she loves…or it could turn her into a hero.

With a nod to Edgar Allan Poe, Bethany Griffin concludes her tragic and mysterious Red Death series with a heroine that young adult readers will never forget.

Other Amazing Books to Watch

Here is just a fraction of the many other awesome books releasing the week of June 11th:

ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE by Kate Karyus Quinn

BORN OF ILLUSION by Teri Brown

SPIES AND PREJUDICE by Talia Vance

RUSH (The Game #1) by Eve Silver

BURNING by Elana K. Arnold

THE GIRL WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO DIE by April Henry

INFAMOUS (Fame Game #3) by Lauren Conrad

LINKED (Linked #1) by Imogen Howson

A MATTER OF DAYS by Amber Kizer

MORTAL FIRE by Elizabeth Knox

THE SECRET INGREDIENT by Stewart Lewis