Top 12 Books of 2012!

Here it is, everybody! Out of all the 141 books I read this year, I've narrowed down my favorite books of 2012 - my twelve most favorite books.

Here they are!

Read from April 20 to April 21

 12. A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness  

This book is so wonderful and beautiful and heartbreaking. If you're looking for a book that makes you feel all of the emotions possible, make sure that you pick up this book. Which if you haven't, what is wrong with you?! Get on that! A MONSTER CALLS is amazing.

Read from February 23 to February 25

11. Everneath - Brodi Ashton

WOW! Everneath is such a great re-telling of the Hades and Persephone myth. The writing style (I especially liked how we got the present as well as the past) was great; the characters were stunning; and the ending was heartbreaking, yet wonderful! And I've also gotten a chance to read EVERBOUND, which is great too. Brodi Ashton's debut novel was simply wonderful!

Read from October 13 to October 15

10. Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys 

Oh my gosh, talk about heartbreaking! Ruta Sepetys's debut novel deserves all the praise that it gets (which is definitely a lot!). If you haven't picked up this novel, where have you been? I don't read historical fiction a lot, but I want to read all historicals now that I've read this gem! I can't express to you how beautiful this book is.

Read from December 17 to December 18

9. Through the Ever Night - Veronica Rossi

I also read the first book, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, this year and loved it too, but OH. MY. GOSH. THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT?! One of the best sequels I have ever read! So many things happened in this novel (some good and some tragic), and I can't share my love of this series through a blog post. However, do yourself a favor and pick up this series.

Read from October 28 to October 30

8. The Archived - Victoria Schwab

Looking for excellent world-building? Make sure you buy THE ARCHIVED in January! Victoria Schwab's sophomore novel was great in every imaginable. I mean, a world where the dead rest on shelves like books? A main character who works as a Librarian to keep the dead in their place? And an ending you'll never see coming? THE ARCHIVED has it all.

Read on September 20

7. Ten - Gretchen McNeil

Read this in one night, guys! TEN has become my favorite mystery novel of all time, and Gretchen McNeil is just fantastic with her books! TEN was super fast-paced, intense, thrilling, and above all, one of the most expertly crafted novels I've ever read. Plus, that killer? Never saw it coming. TEN is fantastically one of the best books I've read all year.

Read from September 18 to September 19

6. What's Left of Me - Kat Zhang

Wow! Kat Zhang's debut novel is one of the best novels I've ever read. I adored Addie and Eva and their sisterly ways, as well as the entire world-building. The concept was very cool and original, and besides, so much action happened, I couldn't but read this book in less than 24 hours! I seriously hope that someone in Hollywood buys the film rights to WHAT'S LEFT OF ME, because I could totally see this being on the big screen. And now, I'm dying for the sequel, ONCE WE WERE! 

Read from August 16 to August 18

5. The Peculiar - Stefan Bachmann

The author is only 18?! THE PECULIAR is my favorite middle grade novel I have ever read. Such a beautiful setting, but with a dark twist of these hated changelings. And I loved the protagonist, Barthlomew, simply because he was a character that I could easily root for. And the ending was so emotion-shattering! I'm super happy there is a sequel, because for awhile, I didn't think that there was one. Because this book has such an evil cliffhanger! But I loved every second of it and this entire novel. 

Read from November 16 to November 23

4. Shades of Earth - Beth Revis

One of the best trilogy finales I have ever read! SHADES OF EARTH starts with a bang of action and never stops. Something deadly is roaming around, and once you find out what it is, your jaw will fall open. Guaranteed. And that ending? BETH REVIS, WERE YOU TRYING TO KILL ALL OF US WITH THAT ENDING?! Still, SHADES OF EARTH is by far the best book in the Across the Universe trilogy, and I applaud Revis for making such a wonderful trilogy. 

Read from November 30 to December 6

3. Out of the Easy - Ruta Sepetys 

Even though I loved BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY, her second book blew me away so much. I was so sucked into the world of OUT OF THE EASY that I didn't want to leave it when the novel was over. Josie was one of the best protagonists that I've read all year long. And the entire concept was brilliant anyway. OUT OF THE EASY is without a doubt the best historical fiction that I have ever read, and make sure that you pre-order this book. You're only hurting yourself if you don't read this amazing book! 

Read from June 18 to June 21

2. Scarlet - Marissa Meyer

I won a contest from the author where I received an early ARC of SCARLET back in June, and let me tell you, SCARLET was even better than CINDER! Cinder and Scarlet as a pair of protagonists together was great, and since we get both of the girl's story, we get double the awesomeness! I want the third book, CRESS, so bad! Believe me when I say that you will love this sequel.

AND MY NUMBER ONE BOOK OF 2012 IS . . .

Read from February 1 to February 2

1. Incarnate - Jodi Meadows

If you know me at all, you know that I declared this my favorite book of ALL TIME back in February, and my opinion hasn't changed. INCARNATE is a beautiful, stunning, and incredible read that I push onto everybody. Dragons and sylph plus reincarnation plus a great heroine plus an outstanding ending! I mean, oh my gosh! INCARNATE is my favorite book of all time, and I highly, highly, HIGHLY AND STRONGLY suggest that you read this book right this second!

Alright guys, that's my Top 12 Books of 2012! What are yours? Leave them in the comments, or if you did your own blog post, link it to me in the comments so I can go check it out! 

Brad About Books: The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

THE DEAD AND BURIED
Expected Publication Date: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: ARC
Page Count: 304 pages
Source: Publisher

A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

I read Kim Harrington's newest novel in one sitting! Entirely captivating and totally eerie, THE DEAD AND BURIED is a whirlwind of a novel that will keep readers up late at night hiding underneath their covers.

Right from the first page, I was hooked on this novel. I had to know what in the world was going on, and once you find out exactly what was going on (no spoilers), it will blow your mind! Kim Harrington did a fantastic job at capturing the scary parts of the book, as well as the creepy and morbid feeling of this excellent murder mystery novel. 

The main character Jade was the type of character I love - especially in murder mysteries. She was definitely strong, and not the naive girl we always see in movies that are "I have no idea what is going on, but I think I know everything (even though I have no idea what I'm up against) and I can beat this thing by myself." I really admired her and her courage that shined through these pages.

And the pacing of this book - wow! Like I said, right from the beginning, the action begins at school and continues to travel along until the end of the book. That's why I stayed up until 3 A.M. reading this book (which is actually really bad, because this book was super frightening and morbid!). I did guess the killer correctly, but still, this novel was great.

And that ending! Shocking and very surprising! I loved every second of this novel. Big thanks to Scholastic for sending this to me for review; it was incredible!

Overall, THE DEAD AND BURIED needs to be on your 2013 radar, because trust me, you don't want to miss this book! Sure to be one of the hottest books of its genre.

My Rating

I AM the Across the Universe Ultimate Fan!

Okay, so if you don't know, Beth Revis is hosting this awesome-filled giveaway including a bunch of stuff. An entry to the contest is telling why you're the ultimate fan of the Across the Universe trilogy, and I'm here to do just that!

Let me start off by saying that I am the ultimate fan of this trilogy. It is absolutely one my favorite series in the entire world; it's original, stunning, wonderful, mysterious, and above all, amazing in every way shape or form. And it's funny, because I have a story to tell about each book.

Across the Universe: It was the day that my parents were doing taxes (BLEH), but my mom and I had to stop at Wal-Mart first to pick up a few things. I went to the book section of the store - like any bookworm does - and I see THIS beauty sitting on the shelf:

I read what it was about, and I begged my mom if I could get it. And luckily, she said yes. I started reading it in the car, on the way into the office, and I plopped down on the floor and read the entire book - not even joking. I was so captivated by this world-building and storyline, I couldn't set it down for a second. And then I knew that it was going to be a long wait before A Million Suns would be coming out. Ask anybody who reads in my town, and they will tell you that I have pushed AtU on so many people. I got it into my public library, as well as the middle school and high school library. It was such an amazing book, and I've pushed it on so many people, who love it as well.

A Million Suns: I was born severely flat-footed, and last November, we found a doctor who could fix my feet. I had the first surgery done on my left foot in January - the time that A Million Suns came out. Believe me when I say that I was in so much pain in my foot; I was restless and needed to focus on something. You know what it was? That's right . . . A Million Suns was my escape from the pain. As soon as I started reading it in the hospital, everything went away - the pain, the medicine, the nurses, the doctors. Nothing could disturb me. This book took my mind off of what I had just went through, and it made me so happy that for the time I was reading AMS, the pain in my foot and the cast were not on my mind. This book sucked me in whole and didn't let me go until the end.

Shades of Earth: I have to thank Penguin so much for approving me for an e-galley of Shades of Earth! I just recently had the right foot surgery, and can you guess what I took with me for the second surgery. If you guess SHADES OF EARTH, you are correct! Once again, I forgot about everything surrounding me with all the pain, but oh boy, I couldn't put this book down! I didn't even want to stop to take my medicine even just for a second, because I knew I had to find out what in the world was happening. And another reason I would love to win this giveaway is because the covers in this series were changed, and I would love to have the paperback ARC of SHADES OF EARTH sitting on my shelf next to the other books (But I do want a hardcover copy, so of course, I had to pre-order one).

And that is why I am the ultimate fan of the brilliant ACROSS THE UNIVERSE trilogy. It is one of my favorite book series of all time, and it gave me an escape from reality and pain during recovery of surgery. Beth Revis, I just want to thank you for creating this amazing storyline, and for your characters and world-building that gave me an escape. You are one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to read your next book!

So that is why I am the ultimate fan of this trilogy!

(and I really want to win this giveaway, because that water bottle of Godspeed looks amazing!) 

Brad About Books: Tempest by Julie Cross

TEMPEST
Published: December 11, 2012 (paperback)
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 352 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Tempest, #1

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

TEMPEST is an action-book that is totally different than any YA book I've ever read! Unique storyline, wonderful characters, and a twist on time makes this novel whole and great!

TEMPEST was such a fast-paced book, it's ridiculous. Right from the first page, the action begins and never stops. There are so many twists and turns in this novel, and add in some scenes where the tension is biting-nails worthy, TEMPEST is easily one of the quickest reads I've ever read.

Jackson and Holly's love seemed true and pure. I could tell from the beginning that they both cared for each other deeply, and when the tragic thing happened to Holly in the beginning, I knew that there would be so much character development. To put it shortly, I was right. All of the characters in this novel grow in some shape or form, whether it be for better or for worse. And I admired Julie Cross for doing that.

I had one tiny problem with TEMPEST though; we get a lot of time travel scenes in this book, and finally, they got really repetitive. I mean, some of them were awesome and definitely necessary, but after so many time travel scenes, I started to grow a little tired of them. But in the end, it didn't affect my feelings towards this epic book .

And when I say epic, I do mean epic. There were so many scenes in TEMPEST where I was literally on the edge of my seat, turning pages and hoping to tension would let it up (it barely ever did). If you are looking for action and romance, it can all be found in this novel. Because, simply, the author is awesome enough to include such AWESOME scenes. Especially the ENDING! Oh my gosh, that ENDING! Props to Julie Cross for doing an amazing job on this book. I need the sequel, VORTEX, so bad! 

TEMPEST is definitely a great novel! Time travel, romance, flashbacks, restoring the past, and one of the most tense scenes EVER, TEMPEST has it all! 

M Y   R A T I N G:

Waiting on Wednesday (7): Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine! 

This week, I am eagerly waiting on...

 CRASH AND BURN

Expected Publication Date: February 19, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Harper)
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 544 pages

Michael Hassan’s shattering debut is a tale of first love and first hate, the story of two high school seniors and the morning that changed their lives forever. It’s a portrait of the modern American teenage male, in all his brash, disillusioned, oversexed, schizophrenic, drunk, nihilistic, hopeful, ADD-diagnosed glory.
And it’s a powerful mediation on how normal it is to be screwed up, and how screwed up it is to be normal.

Oh my, my, I need this book! Contemporary isn't my favorite genre, but you can bet that I will definitely be picking this one up when it comes out! Plus, 544 pages sounds really awesome to me. Cannot wait for this book! 

What are you waiting for this week? Leave your WoW posts in the comments below so I can check them out! 

Brad About Books: Splintered by A.G. Howard

SPLINTERED
Expected Publication Date: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Amulet
Format: ARC
Page Count: 384 pages
Source: Publisher

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

SPLINTERED was definitely a cool read! Dark and twisted, A.G. Howard packs a ton of action into this new and unknown Wonderland.

The world building in SPLINTERED was... oh, how do I put this lightly? Stunning? Brilliant? Wonderful in every capacity imaginable? Yep, that about sums it up. Howard did a great job at capturing the "wonder" and "dream" feel that Wonderland offers, and even though SPLINTERED is a bit more morbid and dark than the original tale, I couldn't help but turn these pages and never set the book down!

I do have one complaint about SPLINTERED though: I wasn't really a fan of how in the beginning, she just remembered these things from her ancestors. I found it a little weird and off-putting, but luckily, that all changed as we dived deeper into this realm, and I ended up loving it in the end.

The writing style sucked me right away. There is one part right in the first 20 pages where our main character is having a dream, and one line that stuck out to me was: And now, I have no head. I mean, that's INSANE right? Prepare to experience ALL of those feels once you read SPLINTERED. (which you must!) And also, the characters in this novel were memorable and great as well. Our main protagonist Alyssa was definitely a character that a reader could root for. And also, the side characters (Jeb, Morpheus, the original Alice) were fantastic too! A.G. Howard definitely put a spin on these characters, which I love in a good re-telling.

Plus, this is such a unique take on Alice in Wonderland! I've read a couple of re-tellings, and SPLINTERED stands and shines out from the others. Trust me, you want to read SPLINTERED when it comes out in less than a month!

Overall, SPLINTERED was excellent. Besides that one small flaw I had with this novel, SPLINTERED is still a great re-telling of the classic Alice in Wonderland!

M Y    R A T I N G :

Brad About Books: Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

SHADES OF EARTH
Expected Publication Date: January 15, 2013
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: ARC
Page Count: 369 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Across the Universe, #3

Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceshipGodspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

FUELED BY LIES. RULED BY CHAOS. ALMOST HOME.

WOW. One word: WOW. Beth Revis never disappoints with her novels, and SHADES OF EARTH was one of the best conclusions to a series I have read. Props to Beth for making such an amazing, wonderful and epic trilogy! I'm going to miss these characters.

First off, I should say that SHADES OF EARTH begins with a bang; the action begs right away and never stops. Crash landing is all that comes about Amy and Elder's mission that they have worked towards, and I think the synopsis puts it best: Almost home. But do you remember Orion? The crazy dude from the first book? All I will say is that he may have not been so crazy after all...

Beth Revis's writing style is just incredible, with all of her novels. Right away, I was hooked and sucked back into the story along with these characters that I dearly love. I felt like I was walking around, exploring this unfamiliar and new world with these characters, and I love it that Beth Revis managed to make me feel that way in each of her books.

Speaking of new world, can I just say that the world-building in this book was excellent? The atmosphere and all of the creatures in SHADES OF EARTH terrified me, as well as intrigued me. Gosh, why can't Hollywood finally jump on the AtU trilogy so I can see this world for myself? The author did a wonderful and fantastic job at creating and explaining the world to the reader, and all of the secrets and betrayals that occurred in this new world was brilliant.

Also, there are SO many secrets that are revealed in SHADES OF EARTH. It is insane, yet epic at the same time. Everything that we learned that was being kept a secret from us is brought to light in this book, and when you find out what they are, your jaw will fall open.

And that ending? HA HA HA HA WHAT WAS THAT?!  I think Beth Revis was trying to kill us ALL with that ending. I will definitely not spoil it for you, but guys, there are so many turns and surprises in SHADES OF EARTH and you will not see this ending coming.

Overall, SHADES OF EARTH is one of the best finales I have ever read about -- it's also my favorite in this trilogy. Beth Revis, thank you for making this great series. I'm so sad to see it go.

M Y   R A T I N G :

Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-Me Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by Broke and Bookish!

This week's TTT is NEW-TO-ME authors (meaning authors whose books were new to us this year), and I am super excited to share my list with you!

• Jodi Meadows - If you don't know already -- and if you know me, and do you not? -- INCARNATE is my favorite book of all time. And since she's a debut author of 2012, of course I have to mention her! The writing style is lush and beautiful. The world building is fantastic, brilliant, and every term that my mind can think of. I need to sequel, ASUNDER, in my life. Seriously. 

• Michael Grant - Started reading the Gone series this year, and boy, am I hooked! Again, the world building is amazing, and every single book manages to pack more action, sadness, deception, secrets, and a shocking ending than its predecessor. I will be so sad to let this series go when LIGHT comes out!

• Ruta Sepetys - Oh. My. Gosh. What is there to say about the magnificent novels that are Ruta Sepetys's novels? I'll tell you: they are heart-shattering and heart-mending. They shine out in the YA market, and they are incredible, stunning, and in every way, one of my favorite novels of all time. I actually just finished reading her next novel, OUT OF THE EASY, last week. You guys are going to love it! And I met Ruta Sepetys back in October, and she is definitely one of the most nicest people I have ever met!

• Marissa Meyer - CINDER blew me away when I read in back in February '12. The sequel, SCARLET, was even better than the first book, with the addition of another stunning main character, fantastic world-building, and the atmosphere of fairy-tales surrounding it. I read SCARLET back in June and it is still on my mind! 

• Kat Zhang - Kat is a debut author, but her debut novel was AMAZING. Definitely one of the most unique storylines I have ever read, and her writing style and novel broke my heart and repaired it to pieces with the spark of hope that maybe bad things wouldn't happen to the main characters. Book two, why do you have to be so far away? AND Kat is an amazing and super nice person! I've met her about three times this year, and she just a wonderful person to talk to!

• Gretchen McNeil - Gretchen is fantastic. Short and simple. POSSESS was an eerie and creepy read, but holy crap... HER SECOND NOVEL? TEN??? It was so so SO amazing! I read TEN in one night, and I still think about it to this day. Gretchen has become one of my favorite authors, and I am super excited for 3:59!

• Maggie Stiefvater - Now I've only read THE RAVEN BOYS, but it was so amazing and so brilliant, I had to put her on my list. THE RAVEN BOYS is a stunning, remarkable and original novel. Again, my grabby hands are dying to get a hold of the second book!

• Stefan Bachmann - By far, Stefan Bachmann's THE PECULIAR is the best middle grade novel that I have ever read. It makes you think about life and how you treat people, while managing to capture that fantasy world-building aspect. He did a phenomenal job with this novel!

• Veronica Rossi - UNDER THE NEVER SKY is one of my absolute favorite dystopian novels! The world building is insane, and I just couldn't get enough of this novel! I will be starting the second book, THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT, soon! 

• Veronica Roth - Don't kill me, but I only read DIVERGENT this year. But to be honest, I'm happy I did, because INSURGENT came out only a few weeks later! Obviously, I love this author and her novels. I'm one of the people who loved INSURGENT even more than book one, and, like everybody else in the world, I am eagerly anticipating book three! 

Did you do a Top Ten Tuesday post today? Link it to me in the comments so I can check it out!

Happy reading! 

Bookish Anticipations: December 2012

I'm starting something new here on my blog! Each month, I'm going to be doing something called Bookish Anticipations, where I will talk about the books coming out that month that I'm very excited for!

So there's not a whole lot of books coming out in December, but I have four that I am super excited for!

The first book I'm so excited for is FALLING KINGDOMS by Morgan Rhodes, which comes out on December 11. This is the first book in a new high fantasy series, and I SO want this book so badly! I want to post the first paragraph of the synopsis because I love it so much:

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power -- brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined.

Just reading that gives me shivers! I seriously cannot wait for this novel to come out. It sounds so good, and I do love my high fantasy! 

The next book is OPAL by Jennifer L. Armentrout, which also comes out on December 11. If you don't know what this series is and haven't read it, where have you been? I adore the Lux series! It's about a race of aliens -- but not the gross, green kind -- who have come to earth, and one Luxen named Daemon who falls in love with a book blogger, Katy.

And oh my gosh, this series is so good! If you love action, you're in the right place. If you love romance, you're also in the right place! This series have everything in it, and after the cliffhanger of the ending of ONYX, I'm dying for a copy of OPAL!

And then we have BURNED by Sara Shepard. This is the twelfth -- YES, TWELFTH -- book in the Pretty Little Liars series and comes out on December 4. And guess what, this is not the final novel. But Sara Shepard manages to capture my attention in each book, and I'm still very intrigued to find out who the third A is.

If you don't know what PLL is all about, it's about five girls living in a rich town in Pennsylvania, and one day, one of the girls (Ali) goes missing. Fast forward three years later, and the remaining four girls (who have since broken up their friendship) start to receive texts and letters from a mysterious person named "A" who is blackmailing them with the secrets that only Ali, the missing and presumed dead girl, knows. 

This series is crazy, but I'm not sure I'll be picking up this one.

And finally, the last book I will be showing today is THE DARKEST MINDS by Alexandra Bracken. This novel comes out on December 18, and I've heard great things about it from those who have reviewed it!

THE DARKEST MINDS deals with people with supernatural powers, I think, and really, that's all I know about it. Still excited for it though!

So that is my Bookish Anticipations for December! What books are you excited for coming out in December '12? Happy reading!

NaNoWriMo '12

So guys, this is going to be my experience with NaNoWriMo 2012. This was my first year of participating, and I really and truly had so much fun with it! Here is my novel's mock cover I made as well as the synopsis to it:

SOMETHING WICKED IS ABOUT TO SURFACE . . .

Emelia "Emmy" Tide is apart of a deadly siren clan. Her group has always told her that she has the most enticing voice. But long ago, Emmy promised to herself that she would never harm a human being. Not ever again, at least.

But when the sirens lure in a ship of passengers, Emmy saves one boy -- Parker -- from the horrific creatures while he's unconscious.

Now she'll do anything to get his attention. But the only way to do that is to become human and not alert Parker of the wicked things that lurk beneath the ocean. The Wicked One, a cruel monster, will help her. But everything comes at a price. And Emmy isn't sure that it's worth it.

In this re-telling of THE LITTLE MERMAID, Brad Sells explores the dangers of what lies beneath the dark waters and how people will fight for love.

RADIANT WATERS is the first novel in the Radiance trilogy, and is a re-telling of the fairytale THE LITTLE MERMAID by Hans Christen Anderson with sirens! I had so much fun writing this novel (*I should point out that I'm am not yet done writing RW*). I really did. I loved getting to know these characters -- Emelia, Parker, Rowan, Alethea, Isobel, Xander -- all of them.

So I finished NaNoWriMo on Thursday, November 29, 2012:

Word Count for 29th of November: 50,047 (at the time that I am writing this blog post -- it's almost 4 in the morning, if we're being honest -- it is now up to 50,415 words)

WOOHOO!

I know that there are some people who aren't a fan of NaNoWriMo, but really, this gave me the determination to sit down and write a book. And I did just that. Almost... because I'm not finished just yet. Again, at the time that I am writing this, I am close to the end, but not at the end. 

Want to see my NaNoWriMo progression for each day in November? Click the link here! 

And there are so many people I have to thank who helped me along the way of writing Radiant Waters and the whole NaNo experience. I think I may make a video talking about. 

November has been crazy and hectic and I got barely any reading done, but I feel like I have a good excuse. This was so much fun! Ah!

How did you do in NaNoWriMo? Let me know in the comments down below! Happy reading!

-Brad  

Brad About Books: Lullaby by Amanda Hocking

LULLABY
Published: November 27, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: Hardcover for Review
Page Count: 290 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Watersong, #2

Harper only wanted a safe, normal life. But when her younger sister Gemma runs off with a dangerous clique of beautiful girls, Penn, Thea, and Lexi, everything changes. Vowing to get her sister back no matter what the cost, Harper must face dangers unlike any she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guy who's devoted to helping her find her sister—and who's immune to the girls' dark powers. 

While Harper searches for her sister, Gemma struggles to adjust to her new life. Gemma's powers are growing by the day, and the longer she lives with her new "sisters," the harder it is to resist entering their magical world. It's a realm both dark and beautiful, and where she's plagued by strange hungers and unspeakable needs. Just as she's drifting far away from her old life, Harper and Daniel find her...but no one can deny how much she's changed. All she wants is to return to her family and the mortal world, but how can she do that when she's become something else entirely—and will they still love her once they learn the truth?

Prepare to fall under the spell of Lullaby, the second book in the Watersong series from New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking.

I lost myself to the watersong once again! Amanda Hocking created a sequel that was even better than its predecessor. LULLABY was filled with secrets, tons of actions, and more of the sirens! It's official: I am addicted to this series!

LULLABY had so much action in it! Especially the ending. As we travel with Gemma and the sirens, we are introduced to more characters and more betrayals. And with action comes consequences, which leads up to this epic scene at the end! I'm honestly not sure how she did it, but Amanda Hocking raised the bar once again for this series (and for all of her novels). It's insane how much I loved LULLABY!

Gemma is my favorite character out of this series so far! She's defiant, brave, and will always stand up for the people she loves. Gemma is just a great character all around. Harper is another great character, but sometimes annoyed me (but not a whole lot.) In fact, all of the characters were great -- including the evil ones. And by evil ones, I mean the sirens. The three sirens were so much fun to read about! Even though they are the bad guys, I love to hate them and hate to love them.

The writing style of LULLABY sucked me into the story right away. I dived straight back into the world of the Watersong, and in it, the actions starts off with a bang immediately. The storyline drew me and wouldn't let me go until I had finished the novel. And now that I've finished LULLABY, I'm over here desperately wanting TIDAL so bad. Like, it's unreal.

And can I just add that the end scene is one of the best end scenes I've ever read. So much stuff happened, and lots of things were revealed, and I'M FEELINGS ALL THE FEELS. Seriously, LULLABY has made my list of Top 12 Books of 2012!

Overall, LULLABY was a great sequel on all levels. Amanda Hocking can do no wrong with YA novels! I highly recommend that you pick up this series! But prepared to be sucked in by the watersong.

M Y   R A T I N G:

Brad About Books: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE:
Published: September 27, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 417 pages
Source: Bought
Series: Smoke and Bone, #1

Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. 

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE was an excellent and well-thought out story... up until a certain point. I was loving this novel so much, but then, something happens and I had to push my way through the last 100 pages. 

Oh my gosh, Laini Taylor's prose is exquisite. Her writing style is beautiful and heart-shattering and all of the feels are in this book. I was immediately drawn into this story by the way she described the characters and especially the setting. Taylor made Prague seemed so magical and whimsical and dark. This is one story that makes me want to see the city!

And wow, Laini Taylor has such an awesome imagination! There was so much vivid creations and dark things all packed into this novel, and I couldn't get enough of this world's imagination. Even with all the darkness in this book -- that was really gross with the teeth, by the way -- I was loving the way that Karou and the other ensemble of characters explored the two worlds in this novel.

Speaking of which, Karou was a great character! She didn't take crap from anybody, but she wasn't this "I'm-so-tough-and-I-will-knock-anybody-down-in-my-way" type of girl. But there were so many weird characters in this book that made me shiver. Especially Brimstone: gosh, he was just so freaky!  Laini Taylor did an excellent job at weaving these characters together.

And then, we come to... the point. At about page 300, we are thrown into a flashback (NO SPOILERS), and the story started on a major decline. I had to seriously force my way through those final 117 pages, and I barely made it through. DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE got super slow and boring, and the new characters we meet didn't capture my attention at all. And even the ending, I'm still kind of like what just happened? I still don't know.

Overall, DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE was an awesome book, up until the flashback part. I would still recommend it, though! Can't wait to pick up DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT -- especially since I've heard there is more war than romance in it!

M Y   R A T I N G:
(more like 3.5 stars, but I'll round it up to 4)