Waiting in Wednesday: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****



The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Expected publication: September 18th 2012             
Publisher: Scholastic Press
First book in Raven Cycle series
There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.
From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

I am so excited for this book. I love Maggie Stiefvater. I'm incredibly excited she is writing a new series. She is one of the authors I was most excited I got to meet. If you havent read any of her books you need to do that. They are amazing :).

Jasmine <3

In Honor by Jessi Kirby Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Simon and Schuster
Source:Signing
Stand Alone
A devastating loss leads to an unexpected road trip in this novel from the author of Moonglass, whose voice Sarah Dessen says “is fresh and wise, all at once.”
Hours after her brother’s military funeral, Honor opens the last letter Finn ever sent. In her grief, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously decides to go to California to fulfill it.
Honor gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen Rusty in ages, but it’s obvious he is as arrogant and stubborn as ever—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. Despite Honor’s better judgment, the two set off together on a voyage from Texas to California. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn’s memory—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?


Review
In Honor was exactly what I needed. I've heard such great things about this. I ditched my to read pile. Instead I picked this up because I wanted a easy, quick read. This was perfect. I read it in about a day. I loved every second. This has really made me want to read more contemporary.


I loved Honor. Her personality was great. She seemed really adventurous . I love how she just picked up and went on this crazy road trip without a second thought. I can't imagine what would have happened if she hadn't included Rusty on her adventure. I am in love with Rusty. He is so adorable very and funny.


The whole point of this is that Honor's brother Finn passed on. He left her a letter and concert tickets. So Honor decides to pick up and go on this crazy road trip. I wish I could go on such a amazing road trip. Not only was it very eventful it was also a learning experience. She learned things she never knew about not only Rusty but her brother also.


This book really just made me feel uplifted. I really think that everyone should read this because it really is a easy read. But there's also meaning behind it. I think this has something everyone can take from it. I highly recommend this because I really enjoyed it and I think others will too. 5/5 stars


Jasmine :)

Teaser Tuesday #6

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their
• TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.
Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

Teaser: "I saw them the girls who graduated before us. And I'm not going to wind up in some hospitsl bed, birthing a litter every year for the next twenty years of my life."

Thats it. This is from page 11 of my hardcover copy.

Jasmine :)

The Enchantress by Michael Scott Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:Delacorte Press
Last book in The Secerets of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel series
Source:Bought
The sixth and final book in the New York Times bestselling series The Secrets of the Nicholas Flamel—The Enchantress
The two that are one must become the one that is all. One to save the world, one to destroy it.
San Francisco:
Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel have one day left to live, and one job left to do. They must defend San Francisco. The monsters gathered on Alcatraz Island have been released and are heading toward the city. If they are not stopped, they will destroy everyone and everything in their path.
But even with the help of two of the greatest warriors from history and myth, will the Sorceress and the legendary Alchemyst be able to defend the city? Or is it the beginning of the end of the human race?
Danu Talis:
Sophie and Josh Newman traveled ten thousand years into the past to Danu Talis when they followed Dr. John Dee and Virginia Dare. And it’s on this legendary island that the battle for the world begins and ends.
Scathach, Prometheus, Palamedes, Shakespeare, Saint-Germain, and Joan of Arc are also on the island. And no one is sure what—or who—the twins will be fighting for.
Today the battle for Danu Talis will be won or lost.
But will the twins of legend stand together?
Or will they stand apart—
one to save the world and one to destroy it?


Review
When I try to come up with a word to describe this series amazing is the only thing I can think of. These books are all so well written. The characters are amazing and the storyline is unbelievable. It's hard to believe everything is real. I think I'm going to spend hours googling these characters. I can't believe such an amazing series has come to an end.


It would be really hard to include all the amazing characters in my review. I'm only going to talk about Sophie and Josh. I do think you should know there are many fascinating characters.


One of my favorite parts about Sophie and Josh is that their siblings(maybe). There's a ton of sibling rivalry. I love how they both have their own strengths and weaknesses. Of course one gets their powers forcing the other to consider the dark side. I love how they really joined together in this. I also like how they weren't going to let themselves be controlled. They both knew they had their own part to play in the world. I never would have guessed it was going to end like that for them. It was a major shocker. Honestly I think this author is a pro at killing people. I wonder if authors enjoy plotting all these huge battles and wars. I think I would :).


One of the coolest parts of this series is that it all takes place in the time span of a week. That is the coolest thing ever. All that action packed into a week. Also all the auras were pretty cool and the magic. Overall this was an amazing conclusion. I'm so sad it's over. I don't think I can even explain how epic these books are so I'm just gonna tell you to read them. If you chose not to listen to me I will happily hunt you down and force you :). 5/5 stars


Jasmine <3

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR
First book in Struck series
Source:Bought
 Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.
Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.
Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.

Review
I'm kind of obsessed with this book. The trailer and the cover were what did it. This book has one of the coolest trailers ever. And the cover is pretty fantastic. The amount of pouting I did when my bookstore said they didn't have this the day it came out was insane. That was when the obsession started. This book has probably the coolest concept ever. That and the amazing main character made for a great read.


Mia is an amazing heroine. There is no one like her. She's smart and strong. Addicted to being struck by lightening always having to resist the urge. One thing I likes about Mia was that she didn't take the time to feel sorry for herself. She did what she had to do for her and her family to survive. I really liked Jeremy. His background kind of confused me but him and Mia were super cute.


The followers vs the seekers kinda confused me. I mean I get that the followers were the people who followed the prophet. Im not really sure what the seekers purpose was. I hope we get to learn more about them in the future. I'm also curious as to which side is good and which is bad.


The plot was a little slow in the beginning but it did pick up. Once it picked up it was pretty fast paced. There was lots of twists and turns. It's almost impossible to guess what's going to happen next. Overall I really loved this book. It has such a cool concept and some great characters. I'm super excited to see where this story is going to go. I have my fingers crossed there's a sequel. I highly recommend this one. It has become one of my new favorites :). 4/5 stars


Jasmine <3

The Selection by Kiera Cass Review

Reading Level:Young Adult
Publisher:HarperTeen
First book in The Selection series
Source:Conference
 For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Review
I adore this book with all my heart. I was hooked from page one. I love how girly it was. It didn't really seemed dystopian to me. I would say its more of a laid back dystopian. It did have some moments that reminded me of the hunger games but I wouldn't compare the two. There both very different.


Let me start off by saying who doesn't love a hot prince. Maxon is such a sweetheart. He has a hard job. He has to narrow it down from 35 to 1. If I was him I wouldn't know what to do with myself. He handles everything very well. I'm curious to see who he ends up with. I have my fingers crossed its America. I liked Aspen at first. He was so rude to America when he broke things off. That wasn't needed. I never would forgiven him. I adore America. She is a great main character. Her name is adorable and she is so sweet. I like how she didn't act like she was too good for anyone. She's going to be one of my favorites for awhile.


The plot didn't really have a lot of action but it wasn't slow. It was more the day to day life of the girls. I liked that. It felt like we got to know everyone . Overall I really love this book. I already want to reread it. I can't wait to see where this story is going to go. I highly recommend. 5/5 stars


Jasmine <3

50 Followers giveaway!

 

Yay! We recently reached 50 followers here on Beneath the Moon and Stars (technically we have 53 followers but Blogger doesn't show email subscriptions so we're a little behind). Thank you so much to our old followers for sticking with us even though we don't post everyday and our reviews are normally just paragraph after paragraph of us fangirling. And for new followers: Hi. We promise we're not that crazy ;).

So to thank our old followers and welcome our new ones we're having a giveaway of course. Two winners will get to pick from these four May releases (even though May is officially over today).


Fated by Alyson Noel
Gilt by Katherine Longshore
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
In Honor by Jessi Kirby

*This giveaway isn't International. If someone from outside the U.S. wins and are willing pay shipping we'll send it. Or we might look between the couch cushions for enough money to send it if we're feeling nice :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway