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.

Obsidian Mirror

Author: Catherine Fisher
Goodreads Rating: 3.65
Pages: 384
Format: ARC from NYCC12

Jake's father disappears while working on mysterious experiments with the obsessive, reclusive Oberon Venn. Jake is convinced Venn has murdered him. But the truth he finds at the snow-bound Wintercombe Abbey is far stranger ... The experiments concerned a black mirror, which is a portal to both the past and the future. Venn is not alone in wanting to use its powers. Strangers begin gathering in and around Venn's estate: Sarah - a runaway, who appears out of nowhere and is clearly not what she says, Maskelyne - who claims the mirror was stolen from him in some past century. There are others, a product of the mirror's power to twist time. And a tribe of elemental beings surround this isolated estate, fey, cold, untrustworthy, and filled with hate for humans. But of them all, Jake is hell-bent on using the mirror to get to the truth. Whatever the cost, he must learn what really happened to his father.

False Sight (False Memory #2)

Author: Dan Krokos
Goodreads Rating: 4.22
Pages: 327
Format: ARC from NYCC12

All Miranda wants is a normal life. She's determined to move past the horrible truth of her origin as a clone so she can enjoy time with her boyfriend, peter, and the rest of her friends at school. But Miranda quickly learns that there's no such thing as normal - not for a girl who was raised to be a weapon. When one of her teammates turns rogue, it begins a war that puts the world in jeopardy. Now Miranda must follow her instincts - not her heart - in order to save everything she's fought so hard to keep. with the image of a terrible future seared into her mind, what will she have to sacrifice to protect the people she loves?Dan Krokos's sequel to the tour de force False Memory is a mind-blowing thriller with high-octane action that will leave readers begging for the final book in this bold and powerful trilogy.

The Name of the Star

Author: Maureen Johnson
Goodreads Rating: 3.90
Pages: 372
Format: Finished Copy from NYCC12

 The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

Mind Games

Author: Kierstan White
Goodreads Rating: 3.98
Pages: 256
Format: ARC from NYCC12

Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways… or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

Dualed

Author: Elsie Chapman
Goodreads Rating: 3.50
Pages: 304
Format: ARC from NYCC12

 You or your Alt? Only one will survive.

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.
The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.
Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.
Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2)

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Goodreads Rating: 4.44
Pages: 465
Format: ARC from NYCC12

tick, tick, tick, tick, tickit's almosttime for war.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.
She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.
Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

Through The Ever Night (Under The Never Sky #2)

Author: Veronica Rossi
Goodreads Rating: 4.44 
Pages: 352
Format: Signed ARC from NYCC12

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.
Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?
In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

Prodigy (Legend #2)

Author: Marie Lu
Goodreads Rating: 4.46
Pages: 371
Format: ARC from BEA12

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—-June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.
It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.
But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

Paper Valentine

Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Goodreads Rating: 3.94
Pages: 368
Format: ARC from NYCC12

The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record. The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor’s peaceful suburban community is killing girls.
For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one. Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders? Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.
With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets. She realizes that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life—and it’s up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again.
Paper Valentine is a hauntingly poetic tale of love and death by the New York Times bestselling author of The Replacement and The Space Between.

Under The Never Sky

Author: Veronica Rossi
Goodreads Rating: 4.13
Pages: 374
Format: Hardcover from Personal Library

Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.
A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Revolution 19

Author: Gregg Rosenblum
Goodreads Rating: 3.93
Pages: 272
Format: ARC from NYCC12

Twenty years ago, the robots designed to fight our wars abandoned the battlefields. Then they turned their weapons on us.
Only a few escaped the robot revolution of 2071. Kevin, Nick, and Cass are lucky —they live with their parents in a secret human community in the woods. Then their village is detected and wiped out. Hopeful that other survivors have been captured by bots, the teens risk everything to save the only people they have left in the world—by infiltrating a city controlled by their greatest enemies.
Revolution 19 is a cinematic thriller unlike anything else. With a dynamic cast of characters, this surefire blockbuster has everything teen readers want—action, drama, mystery, and romance. Written by debut novelist Gregg Rosenblum, this gripping story shouldn’t be missed.

Prophecy

Author: Ellen Oh
Goodreads Rating: 4.13
Pages: 312
Format: ARC from NYCC12

The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms... is a girl with yellow eyes.
Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and the prince’s bodyguard. She’s a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she’s their only hope...
Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King Prophecy, but the missing treasure of myth may be the true key. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king.
Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy.

The Archived

Author: Victoria Schwab
Goodreads Rating: 4.45
Pages: 336
Format: Signed! ARC from NYCC12

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.
Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.
Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.
Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous-it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.
In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

Level 2

Author: Lenore Appelhans
Goodreads Rating: 3.98
Pages: 288
Format: ARC from NYCC12

Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow drones, Felicia passes the endless hours reliving memories of her time on Earth and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and Neil, the boy she loved.
Then a girl in a neighboring chamber is found dead, and nobody but Felicia recalls that she existed in the first place. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, Felicia learns the truth: If she joins the rebellion to overthrow the Morati, the angel guardians of Level 2, she can be with Neil again.
Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself at the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

The Friday Society

Author: Adrienne Kress
Goodreads Rating: 3.87
Pages: 440
Format: ARC from NYCC12

An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns –and the heroines who use them all 
Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.
It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder–and the crimes they believe may be connected to it–without calling too much attention to themselves.
Set in the past but with a modern irreverent flare, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike–well, relatively ladylike–heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

Super Late NYCC Recap!

This was going to by my New York Comic Con Re-cap and giveaway, but since the requirement I set for the giveaway was hitting 200 followers, and I never hit it, I instead turned it into my super gigantic Blogoversay giveaway instead.

I sent to NYCC this year with a three day pass. This was the first year that I got to go. I had thought about it a few times over the last few years, but this was the first time that I actually went out and got a ticket. I have Miss Lexie to thank for that because on a whim I offered to let her stay with me, and she accepted so I got stuck going.

As for my adventures there? Well, I was so excited because I got to spend all three days with Julie from  Bloggers [Heart] Books. Out of all the people that I went with, I spent most of my time with her, while running into Lexie and Danielle through out the day. My three days were spent mostly at the Publisher booths making friends and snagging awesome new books.

Day One:

I got to meet Dan Krokos and Alexandra Bracken while signing their wonderful books, False Sight and The Darkest Minds. I read False Memory not too long ago, and loved it, so getting my hands on the second one so soon was a godsend. (Note: At the time of this publishing, I already read False Sight and it was just as great!) Julie and I loitered around Penguin and Harper basically all day, but we did manage to make some friends at Disney's booth as well. The first book of the day was Dualed though because I went straight for Random House so that I could be happy and so could Elsie.

I also met EC Meyers, and felt bad that I couldn't go to his signing because I didn't have his book with me, and wasn't willing to buy it for what Barnes and Noble was selling it for. (Full Price only Hardcovers, which I refused on principle that they didn't have any paperbacks) It was a total bummer, but WE SHALL MEET AGAIN! We also went to the panel on Passion, Powers and Paranormals where Dan told us that nothing steamy will happen in his books because he writes for Disney. (But you can change that!) It was a really great day.

Also totally random note for day one, I wound up running into one my by fellow sorority alumni while waiting in line to get Kate Locke's God Save The Queen. It was completely random but goes to show you that you never know who will be at NYCC.

Day Two:

Got up at an insane hour to try to get tickets to The Walking Dead autographing. Let me clue you in, it didn't happen which was a total bummer. Because we got there so early and it was the busier day, they let us in a half hour earlier and because of that I got to hang out with Tahereh Mafi for a little while. I totally love her. She, Julie, May Anne and I got to hang out and talk about the awesomeness that is Tahereh, and how excited we all are for Unravel Me. (Which we all are, lets be honest). After having waited for that book, we headed over to the Disney booth to once again commander it while waiting for Victoria Schwab to come and sign The Archived. I got a beautiful Narwhal in my book along with lots of swag and the best tote bag ever.

True story: I actually wanted to be an archivist, of the book kind, not the people kind. This day I also managed to meet Bumblebee and Beth Revis, who I messengered a book from to Victoria after going back to get a book for Lizzy. I then got The Archived from Victoria for one of the girls in the Penguin booth. I was a busy bee. After that, Julie and I decided that we needed to explore more while in between author events, and so we hit up the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle tunnel where she bought a Belle and we both bought a Captain America. While there I saw Effie, which totally made my day.

We also got the second Shades of London book signed by Maureen Johnson where we did not start a line. We were asked not to, and so we didn't, and then all of the sudden there was a line. Like what? But no big deal, we got the books anyway, which was wonderful. I spent a lot of that day charging my phone because the Javits Center just drains your battery like no other. But charging my battery was pretty great because we got to see lots of fun stuff like the Ghostbusters, and others.
Lexie and I then took the ferry back home were we got to eat and be greeted by my sister and the small children. Another really awesome sight was The Walking Dead Trailer outside while we were leaving. I totally loved getting to see that! It was a total bummer that we didn't get the tickets to meet them and we didn't even try to get into the panel. (Note: The Trailer was minus the dead walker eaten Jimmy.)

Day Three:

So, the third day was bound to be a little different. This particular day, I made the decision to bring my older sister and my mom with me. Oh yeah and the babies. That was my big mistake that day. I wish that I had realized that they would just create stress and agony, but alas, all my good ideas must fail. Either way we had a great time, We didn't get there super early, but we got there early enough to hit up all the publishers again and say hi, which was good for both my mom and my sister since Jenn is an English Teacher and mom does sell books.

I was able to get my sister to do the one thing that she really wanted and that was meet Nick Brendon from Buffy (Xander, my nephews namesake for those of you who don't know). I was glad that I was able to help make that happen after all of my other birthday christmas presents that were Buffy related totally failed. This one was almost a disaster too, but I learned for next year. I got the last of all the books that I needed to including a copy of Paper Valentine thanks to Danielle.

On our way out, there was a group of lady superhero's that were stopped by a camera crew to take pictures in some pretty swanky cars which was great. I also went to the YA Preview with Julie where they gave out books (we didn't win) and talked about a lot of the upcoming releases. If I could find my notes, I would tell you all about it, but alas, I don't know where my fancy little notebook is, so I shall direct you to Julie's post about it Here. She was a lot more thorough then I would have been, so for sure check out what she has to say about the wonderful books.

Oh, and I met Castiel as we were leaving. Greatest person ever.

In Summary:

There were a lot of things that I wish that I had taken the time to see, but at the same time, I was glad that I saw what I did. I'm not the type of person who feels claustrophobic, and this place made me feel so many different levels of anxiety. This is not a good place if you have problems with lots of people and the like. Having gone once, I feel like I can safely say that I came, I saw, I conquered, but chances are, Lili, Julie and Kristan are going to drag my sorry butt there again next year. Maybe if I'm living in the city like I plan, it won't be that much of a hassle. I still want my sister to come next year, maybe just the two of us without my mom, and definitely lots of books. I also plan on checking out the Artists Alley which was something that I waited way too long to check out. (I will admit because I didn't want to go, but Julie dragged me and I'm so glad that she did.)

And so I leave you with this:

Myself and Castiel, best angel ever.

Rise (Nighshade Prequel #2)

Author: Andrea Cremer
Goodreads Rating: 4.37
Pages: 390
Format: ARC from NYCC12

The sequel to Rift and the prequel to the New York Times bestselling novel Nightshade.
Everything Conatus stands for is at risk. Hoping to gather enough resistance to save their order, Ember and Barrow attempt a desperate escape. But fate offers little mercy. When their mission is exposed, the  couple face relentless pursuit by the supernatural horrors that act on the commands of Eira’s ally: the mysterious Bosque Mar. A shocking revelation forces Ember out of hiding, sending her back into the heart of dark magic at Tearmunn keep, where she must convince her old friend Alistair of her love or face dire consequences. Ember’s deception offers the only chance for the resistance to succeed, but what she discovers in the shadows beneath the keep will shatter her world and bring about the Witches’ War.
Richly sensual and full of magic, action and danger, Andrea Cremer's fifth book set in the Nightshade world is an edge-of-your-seat page turner.

The Darkest Minds

Author: Alexandra Bracken
Goodreads Rating: 4.26
Pages: 488
Format: ARC from BEA12, Signed at NYCC12

When Ruby wakes up on her tenth birthday, something about her has changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that's killed most of America's children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control. 
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. 
When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she's on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her--East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can't risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. 
When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

Waiting on Wednesday # 6

Waiting on Wednesdays is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme gives bloggers the chance to talk about a book that may not be coming out for a few months, but that they are still excited about.