Devine Intervention

Author: Martha Brockenbrough
Goodreads Rating: 3.46
Pages: 304
Format: ARC from BEA12

There is a great legend of the guardian angel who traveled across time and space for the human girl he loved, slaying those who would threaten her with a gleaming sword made of heavenly light.
This is not that story.
Jerome Hancock is Heidi Devine's guardian angel. Sort of. He's more of an angel trainee, in heaven's soul-rehabilitation program for wayward teens. And he's just about to get kicked out for having too many absences and for violating too many of the Ten Commandments for the Dead.
Heidi, meanwhile, is a high school junior who dreams of being an artist, but has been drafted onto her basketball team because she's taller than many a grown man. For as long as she can remember, she's heard a voice in her head - one that sings Lynyrd Skynyrd, offers up bad advice, and yet is company during those hours she feels most alone.
When the unthinkable happens, these two lost souls must figure out where they went wrong and whether they can make things right before Heidi's time is up and her soul is lost forever.
Martha Brockenbrough's debut novel is hilarious, heartbreaking, and hopeful, with a sense of humor that's wicked as hell, and writing that's just heavenly.

The Testing

Author: Joelle Charbonneau
Goodreads Rating: 3.94
Pages: 336
Format: Finished Copy from BEA13

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same? 
The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career. 
Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one. 
But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

Jepp, Who Defied the Stars

Author: Katherine Marsh
Goodreads Rating: 3.69
Pages: 369
Format: ARC from BEA13

Fate: Is it written in the stars from the moment we are born? Or is it a bendable thing that we can shape with our own hands? 
Jepp of Astraveld needs to know. 
He left his countryside home on the empty promise of a stranger, only to become a captive in a luxurious prison: Coudenberg Palace, the royal court of the Spanish Infanta. Nobody warned Jepp that as a court dwarf, daily injustices would become his seemingly unshakable fate. If the humiliations were his alone, perhaps he could endure them; but it breaks Jepp’s heart to see his friend Lia suffer. 
After Jepp and Lia attempt a daring escape from the palace, Jepp is imprisoned again, alone in a cage. Now, spirited across Europe in a kidnapper’s carriage, Jepp fears where his unfortunate stars may lead him. But he can't even begin to imagine the brilliant and eccentric new master—a man devoted to uncovering the secrets of the stars—who awaits him. Or the girl who will help him mend his heart and unearth the long-buried secrets of his past.
Masterfully written, grippingly paced, and inspired by real histori­cal characters, Jepp, Who Defied the Stars is the tale of an extraordinary hero and his inspiring quest to become the master of his own destiny.

Some Quiet Place

Author: Kelsey Sutton
Goodreads Rating: 3.86
Pages: 331
Format: Finished Copy for BEA13

I can’t feel sadness, anger, or fear. I can’t feel anything. I’ve grown talented at pretending.
Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them in human form. Longing hovers around the shy, adoring boy at school. Courage materializes beside her dying friend. Fury and Resentment visit her abusive home. They’ve all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn’t succumb to their touch. All, that is, except beautiful Fear, who sometimes torments her and other times plays her compassionate savior. He’s obsessed with finding the answer to one question: What happened to Elizabeth to make her this way?
They both sense that the key to Elizabeth’s condition is somehow connected to the paintings of her dreams, which show visions of death and grief that raise more questions than answers. But as a shadowy menace begins to stalk her, Elizabeth’s very survival depends on discovering the truth about herself. When it matters most, she may not be able to rely on Fear to save her.

Ink

Author: Amanda Sun
Goodreads Rating: 3.64
Pages: 3.26
Format: ARC from BEA13

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.
Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.
Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

Champion (Legend #3)

Author: Marie Lu
Goodreads Rating: 4.65
Pages: 384
Format: Finished Copy

The explosive finale to Marie Lu’s New York Times bestselling LEGEND trilogy—perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT!
He is a Legend.She is a Prodigy.Who will be Champion? 
June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

Wait For You

Author: J. Lynn
Goodreads Rating: 4.29
Pages: 332
Format: ARC from BEA13

Some things are worth waiting for…
Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.
Some things are worth experiencing…
Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.
Some things should never be kept quiet…
But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?
And some things are worth fighting for…

Sunny Sweet Is So NOT Sorry

Author: Jennifer Ann Mann
Goodreads Rating: 4.50
Pages: 208
Format: ARC from BEA13

We’ve all woken up on the wrong side of the bed. But have you ever woken up stuck to the bed? Masha Sweet has. And there’s only one possible reason: her little sister Sunny. Masha is used to Sunny’s evil genius ways, but the glue Sunny used to secure a bouquet of plastic daisies to Masha’s head is not coming out! The girls have to stay home from school and through a bizarre turn of events, they wind up at the hospital. It’s the perfect place to fix Masha’s head…but first they will (almost) contract a (not so) killer virus, steal a cast, and lead the nurses on a wild goose chase. When this is all over, Sunny Sweet is going to be so sorry!

Obsidian

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Goodreads Rating: 4.34
Pages: 335
Format: Finished Copy from BEA12

Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. 
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 
If I don't kill him first, that is.

Perfect Ruin

Author: Lauren Destefano
Goodreads Rating: 4.25
Pages: 356
Format: Bound Manuscript from BEA13

On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.
Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

Unfed (Undead #2)

Author: Kirsty McKay
Goodreads Rating: 4.22
Pages: 288
Format: ARC from BEA13

Fresh meat! From a hospital of horrors to a runaway zombie train, it's an all-new onslaught of the slavering undead in the sequel to Kirsty McKay's killer debut!
Just when you think you're out...it's the morning after the night of the return of the living dead. Or something like that. After running/bus-driving/snowboarding for her life alongside rebel Smitty, geeky Pete, and popular Alice, Bobby thought she'd found the antidote to the Carrot Man Veggie Juice that had turned the rest of their classmates into zombies. When Smitty (mmm...nom, nom) got chomped, Bobby pumped a syringe full of it into him herself.
But now Bobby's a prisoner in some hospital of horrors, with no clue how she got there. And Smitty is missing. What if he isn't cured after all? Bobby knows she's got to find him, even if it means facing Scotland's hungry hordes -- plus Alice's buckets of snark -- again. And this time, zombies aren't the only evil stressing her out. The brain-dead are bad enough, but how can Bobby stop the big pharma business behind the epidemic? Especially when her own mom works for the company?

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Author: Holly Black
Goodreads Rating: 4.03
Pages: 432
Format: ARC from BEA13

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

The Bone Season

Author: Samantha Shannon

Goodreads Rating: 4.02

Pages: 480

Format: ARC from BEA13

It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.
But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.
Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.
The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine—a young woman learning to harness her powers in a world where everything has been taken from her. It also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

The Inventor's Secret

Author: Chad Morris
Goodreads Rating: 4.43
Pages: 256
Format: Finished Copy from BEA13

         CONGRATULATIONS! You've been admitted to Cragbridge Hall!

          Imagine a school in the year 2084 where students don't just read history, but watch it happen around them; where running in gym class isn't around a track, but up a virtual mountain; and where learning about animals means becoming one through and avatar. Welcome to Cragbridge Hall, the most advanced and prestigious school in the world.
          Twins Abby and Derick Cragbridge are excited as new students to use their grandfather's inventions that make Cragbridge Hall so incredible. But when their grandfather and parents go missing, the twins must follow a mysterious trail of clues left by their grandfather. They must find out where their family is, learn who they can trust, and discover what secrets are hidden within Cragbridge Hall.
           Abby and Derick soon realize they are caught in a race with a fierce adversary to discover their grandfather's greatest secret -- a dangerous discovery that could alter both history and reality.

The Infinite Moment of Us

Author: Lauren Myracle
Goodreads Rating: 3.72
Pages: 336
Format: ARC from BEA13

For as long as she can remember, Wren Gray’s goal has been to please her parents. But as high school graduation nears, so does an uncomfortable realization: Pleasing her parents once overlapped with pleasing herself, but now . . . not so much. Wren needs to honor her own desires, but how can she if she doesn’t even know what they are?Charlie Parker, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his heart’s desire. A gentle boy with a troubled past, Charlie has loved Wren since the day he first saw her. But a girl like Wren would never fall for a guy like Charlie—at least not the sort of guy Charlie believes himself to be.And yet certain things are written in the stars. And in the summer after high school, Wren and Charlie’s souls will collide. But souls are complicated, as are the bodies that house them . . .Sexy, romantic, and oh-so-true to life, this is an unforgettable look at first love from one of young adult fiction’s greatest writers.

Showcase Sunday #IDR

I know, I know, its been a long time since I did a post like this, but better late than never night? I had originally been working on this post to go live last Sunday, June 30th, but sadly, Google decided to be a butt and stop working and so here were are, posting on a Thursday. This meme is brought to you by Books, Biscuits, and Tea.

The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates: Magic Marks The Spot

Author: Caroline Carlson 
Goodreads Rating: 4.80
Pages: 378
Format: ARC from BEA13
Rating: 8.5/10

Pirates! Magic! Treasure! A gargoyle? Caroline Carlson's hilarious tween novel The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates #1: Magic Marks the Spot is perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events and Trenton Lee Stewart's Mysterious Benedict Society.
Hilary Westfield has always dreamed of being a pirate. She can tread water for thirty-seven minutes. She can tie a knot faster than a fleet of sailors, and she already owns a rather pointy sword.
There's only one problem: The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates refuses to let any girl join their ranks of scourges and scallywags.
But Hilary is not the kind of girl to take no for answer. To escape a life of petticoats and politeness at her stuffy finishing school, Hilary sets out in search of her own seaworthy adventure, where she gets swept up in a madcap quest involving a map without an X, a magical treasure that likely doesn't exist, a talking gargoyle, a crew of misfit scallywags, and the most treacherous—and unexpected—villain on the High Seas.
Written with uproarious wit and an inviting storyteller tone, the first book in Caroline Carlson's quirky seafaring series is a piratical tale like no other.

Parasite (Parasitology #1)

Author: Mira Grant
Goodreads Rating: 4.10
Pages: 512
Format: ARC from BEA

A decade in the future, humanity thrives in the absence of sickness and disease.

We owe our good health to a humble parasite - a genetically engineered tapeworm developed by the pioneering SymboGen Corporation. When implanted, the tapeworm protects us from illness, boosts our immune system - even secretes designer drugs. It's been successful beyond the scientists' wildest dreams. Now, years on, almost every human being has a SymboGen tapeworm living within them.

But these parasites are getting restless. They want their own lives...and will do anything to get them.

The Darkest Path

Author: Jeff Hirsch
Goodreads Rating: 3.25
Pages: 336
Format: ARC from BEA13

USA TODAY bestselling author Jeff Hirsch once again creates a futuristic world with stunning, dramatic realism.
A civil war rages between the Glorious Path--a militant religion based on the teachings of a former US soldier--and what's left of the US government. Fifteen-year-old Callum Roe and his younger brother, James, were captured and forced to convert six years ago. Cal has been working in the Path's dog kennels, and is very close to becoming one of the Path's deadliest secret agents. Then Cal befriends a stray dog named Bear and kills a commander who wants to train him to be a vicious attack dog. This sends Cal and Bear on the run, and sets in motion a series of incredible events that will test Cal's loyalties and end in a fierce battle that the fate of the entire country rests on.

BEA Fabulous: Brianna

Feet sore, back aching, and 100 plus books richer I have emerged after three days of BEA 2013 a different person. I feel illuminated, experienced and as if I have conquered the Everest of all conventions (this is probably a lie, the Everest of all conventions might be San Diego Comic Con which I have not yet been to).  Before, I was without the knowledge of the inside of book blogging and book reviewing. I observed from afar, knowing that I would always seriously want to get in on it. Now, I speak the language of BEA. Galleys, Drops, ARCs, BEAbrain, BEAfabulous, all became part of my daily vocabulary. In just a day, I became a pro. In two days, an expert. By day three, I had everything down. Or so I thought.

So after the longest intro ever, I can tell you a little about BEA. First of all, I was grossly unprepared. If it weren’t for the lovely Nicole, I would have gotten there only an hour or half hour before opened with no place online and no schedule. BEA is overwhelming enough but to a newbie, it is downright terrifying. Imagine being that five-year-old kid in a candy shop again with so many choices. Now imagine that there are hundreds of other five year olds all trying to grab the candy. And it’s free so you’re all extra grabby. I felt like that at BEA. For that reason, a plan is a must. Without it, you’ll drown in books and tote bags.

A few things I noticed as a first time BEA go-er.

1. As Nicole advised, suitcases are key. A medium sized one will do. This will be a lifesaver. Post I recently made on twitter: My Suitcase and I: A BEA 2013 Love Story. But seriously.

2. Talk to people while you’re waiting on line. This might be a bit obvious but you never know whom you will meet. I met my BEATP (the combination of BEA plus OTP if anyone is at all curious) on line.  Waiting on line is a pain but you have a great opportunity to share info and take a breather. A lot of BEA is running around. The lines may actually help you.

3. Business cards are awesome. When on line or at a booth, you may feel compelled to give out your contact info. It’s really convenient to have something handy to give out. 

4. Bring a phone charger or a portable back up charger. There are a few charging stations around that are really useful and if you were like me, tweeting and calling people all day to find out where they were, and then you’ll spend your battery quickly.

5. SCHEDULE. Do not realize fifteen minutes before BEA opens that you have no idea what you want to do. If you don’t have a preliminary schedule, you will be eaten alive by other bloggers and BEA-goers. You need to have a rough outline of the books you want, the booths you’re desperate to hit, and any signings you need tickets for. If you don’t have this, there’s a slight possibility you will go insane.

6. Grab the tote bags. All the tote bags. T
he bigger, the better. Since you will be storing your suitcases, you’ll need something to carry the books with until you can make a dump.

7. At the end of the day, you really should sort your books out. Make a few piles: the books you must have, the books you are interested in, and the books you might never read. Publishers spend a lot of time and money putting together galleys. They are there for you to take but remember that the purpose of this all is for you to read the book, review the book and fuel the buzz. So if you were not sure about a book, I would put it aside. Especially since you might not have room to take it home. Prioritize. I love free books but to be honest, there were a lot that I had to give away or return because I was sure I wouldn’t have time to get to it. That being said I still came home with about a 112 books and that’s an estimate because the books are currently scattered over my living room. Definitely put thought into where you are going to store the books. People joke about cleaning their bookshelves before BEA but it’s an actual serious concern.

8. Have fun! Duh, dude. Obvious, right? There was a point where I had to take some Tylenol because I was getting a migraine. There should be no migraines in BEA. No point.

Some books I’m uber excited about (Can’t you tell I’m a list person?):

1.     Bone Season by Samantha Shannon- I remember reading an article about this book a few months ago and being both extremely jealous of Samantha Shannon and intrigued by the book synopsis. I hope it lives up to the hype.

2.     Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell- For some weird reason I thought I had to read Eleanor and Park before I could read Fangirl. When I found out this wasn’t true, I about cried I was so happy. I cannot wait to read this book. As I told Rainbow Rowell in my brief meeting at the tumblr Ya lit party, I feel like this book is perfect for us girls who call ourselves fangirls. Finally a book that addresses it without mocking it. Thank you, Rainbow.

3.     Tandem by Anna Jarzab- You’ll find at BEA, if you’re as unprepared as I was, that you come across books that you didn’t know existed and as soon as you find out about them you MUST Have them. This was the case with Tandem.

4.     The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen- This is the one book I didn’t get. I was at the Neil Gaiman talk and found that I couldn’t be in two places at once, such a shame. But I will definitely be buying this soon.

There were so many more I was excited for but I really just want to read them and then flail about them in my reviews. Because all the books look so good. I definitely judge a book by it’s cover and I really couldn’t find a book that didn’t look amazing. From the adult books I picked up all the way to some middle-grade, everything was so well put together. I’m extremely impressed.

Other BEA highlights:

1.     I SAW NEIL GAIMAN SPEAK. Besides the books and the friends I met and made, this was worth every BEA penny. He is articulate and funny in a way I hope one day to be just a tiny bit like. I Make Good Art and Fortunately the Milk. It was perfect.
cannot wait to read his new book. After the talk I was given a signed copy of

2.     GRUMPY CAT!

3.     Chelsea Handler was there and I sort of saw her. It was cool.

4.     THIS:

BEA is a must for bibliophiles. Seriously. Just do it. Either on whatever special day they designate to power readers or all three days. It’s worth it. I woke up at 5:30 each day and commuted into the suitcase back and forth with at least fifty pounds of books. And I would do it again and again. Although, thank God it was only three days. My body started to ache in places I didn’t know existed because of the carrying and hauling I did. I cannot wait for next year.

Stay tuned for my BEA book reviews!