Book Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Publish Date: January 24, 2012

Hardcover, 384 pages 
Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal
 ISBN: 978-0062071132

My Review:
Wow, this is a story that can transport you away, suck you in and enthrall you all-in-one.  I had a hard time making myself go to work on Friday.  I really wanted to stay home and read this.  Instead I spent the morning Saturday finishing this up.  What an amazing book.

I was captivated by Nikki (Becks) from the first page when she is separating from Cole in the Everneath.  I was left wondering why she was there, did she love Cole, but then bam, she's thinking about another boy and he's the reason she wants to leave.  Wow.  As the book goes by, I found myself more and more under her spell.  She really wants to do what is right.  She has made mistakes.  I also found myself really liking Jack, the mysterious boy who lures her back to the real world and Jules, her best friend from before as well.  Cole makes a great "bad guy" of sorts.  He seems bad, but is he?  I found his character interesting in the book even if I never could like him.

The plot was amazing.  I love how Ms. Ashton goes back and forth in time to show what happened in the past to lead up to what is going on now.  She handles the back and forth masterfully so I was never confused.  She also paces it well, never giving away too  much and keeping the reader enthralled and wanting to turn pages to figure out what made Nikki make that final decision.  And the ending, wow, what can I say.  You know I won't give it away, but it's just astounding. 

I loved the book as a whole, the characters, the plot, the pacing, it was all masterful.  The incorporation of mythology was a nice touch as well and made the book have even more depth.  I found myself enthralled by the mythology angle.  I loved mythology in school and wasn't as familiar with the stories she used.  The great thing, this is Ms. Ashton's first book.  I can't wait to read her next book.  So if you are looking for a great YA book from a debut author that has mythology, suspense, great characters and a well-paced plot, then give Everneath a read.  And make sure you don't have to go to work or school the next day.

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

Parental guidance: No bad language, some references to sex, but it's very vague. Characters kiss and things do heat up, but again this is vague and "off camera" and handled well I think.  It's a book best for 14+ I think.  But overall it's a clean book.

About the Book:
Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
I write Young Adult novels. I eat cinnamon bears. I love me some Diet Coke.

My debut book EVERNEATH (the first in a trilogy) comes out Winter 2012 with Balzer and Bray (Harper Collins).

I'm represented by Michael Bourret at Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.

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FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I do make money from purchases made at The Book Depository and B&N.com, but all money is used to fund giveaways and shipping for giveaways from the blog.

2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge

Another challenge to join is the 2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge at The Eclectic Bookshelf.  Specifics on what defines an ARC and sign-ups can be found here.  Otherwise here is an overview of the rules and the levels from her blog:

The Rules:

• Anyone can join.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post on Jamie's blog.
• Audio, eBooks, paper, re-reads all count.
• No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

There are four levels:

1. The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.
2. The "Fun Size" YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels.
3. The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.
4. The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

I'm joining at the Mega size level because I love YA books.  I'll list them as I finish.

1. Cinder by Marissa Mayer - 1/5/2012
2. Everneath by Brodi Ashton - 1/7/2012 
3. Dragon's Oath by P.C. and Kristin Cast - 1/15/12
4. The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore - 1/29/12
5. The Jerk Magnet by Melody Carlson - 2/2/12
6. Partials by Dan Wells - 2/18/12
7. Chase Against Time by Steve Reifman - 3/1/12
8. On a Dark Wing by Jordan Dane - 3/4/12
9. The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker - 3/10/12
10. Delirium by Lauren Kate - 3/19/12
11. The Blood Lie by Shirley Reva Vernick - 3/21/12
12. Tessa Masterson Will Go to Prom by Emily Franklin - 3/22/12
13.  My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent - 3/23/12
14. My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent - 3/24/12
15. What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen - 3/24/12
16. Cobbogoth by Hannah L. Clark - 3/29/12
17. On Moment by Kristen McBride - 3/30/12
18. My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent - 3/31/12
19. Lenobia's Vow by P.C. and Kristin Cast - 4/3/12
20. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen - 4/6/12
21. The Selection by Kiera Cass - 4/21/12
22. Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon - 5/21/12
23. Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon - 5/26/12
24. Crazy by Amy Reed - 6/1/12
25. Divergent by Veronica Roth - 6/6/12
26. The Best Friend by Melody Carlson - 6/7/12
27. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins - 6/9/12
28. Phantom by Laura DeLuca - 6/12/12
29. Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown - 6/21/12
30. My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent - 7/15/12
31. Reaper by Rachel Vincent -  7/18/12
32. Virals by Kathy Reichs - 7/20/12
33. Emerald Isle by Kate Hinderer - 7/23/12
34. Dante's Girl by Courtney Cole - 7/24/12
35. Insurgent by Veronica Roth - 8/2/12
36. If I Die by Rachel Vincent - 8/4/12
37. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - 8/4/12
38. Wake by Amanda Hocking - 8/5/12
39. Fallen by Lauren Kate - 8/12/12
40. Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar by Tommy Davey - 8/15/12
41. Torment by Lauren Kate - 8/29/12
42. Never to Sleep by Rachel Vincent - 8/31/12
43. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire - 9/3/12
44. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - 9/5/12
45. Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent - 9/13/12
46. Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins - 9/17/12
47. Beneath the Glitter by Elle and Blair Fowler - 9/19/12
48. Passion by Kate Lauren - 9/21/12
49. Burn for Burn by Jenny Han - 9/22/12
50. Fever by Lauren DeStefano - 9/24/12
51. Frostbite by Richelle Mead - 9/26/12
52. Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin - 9/30/12
53. Settling by Shelley Workinger - 10/4/12
54. Solid by Shelley Workinger - 10/5/12
55. Fallen in Love by Kate Lauren - 10/6/12
56. Conjure by Lea Nolan - 10/18/12
57. Commencement by Paige Cuccaro - 10/23/12
58. Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins - 10/28/12
59. Forgotten Lyrics by Amanda Hocking - 11/6/12
60. Rapture by Lauren Kate - 11/6/12
61. Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson - 11/14/12
62. Across the Universe by Beth Revis - 11/16/12
63. Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer - 11/23/12
64. Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep - 11/25/12
65. Crossed by Ally Condie - 11/27/12
66. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead - 11/30/12
67. Reached by Ally Condie - 12/4/12
68. Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake - 12/8/12
69. A Million Suns by Beth Revis - 12/12/12
70. All the Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen - 12/17/12
71. Crimson Frost by Jennifer Estep - 12/18/12

2012 ARC Reading Challenge

Another challenge to join is the 2012 ARC Reading Challenge at The Eclectic Bookshelf.  Specifics on what defines an ARC and sign-ups can be found here.  Otherwise here is an overview of the rules and the levels from her blog:

The Rules:

• Anyone can join.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the monthly wrap-up post on Jamie's blog.
• Audio, eBooks, and bound books count.
• No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.
• Create a sign up post and link to the linky below.
• Challenge runs from January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012.
• Crossover challenges is ok

There are four levels:

1. The Mini ARC Challenge – Read 4 ARC's.
2. The "Fun Size" ARC Challenge – Read 10 ARC's.
3. The Jumbo Size ARC Challenge – Read 20 ARC's.
4. The Mega size ARC Challenge – Read 21+ ARC's.

I'm joining at the Mega size level because I really need to make headway through my ARCs this year!  I'll list them as I finish.

1. A Whisper to a Scream by Karen Wojcik Berner - 1/1/2012
2. Cinder by Marissa Mayer - 1/5/2012
3. Everneath by Brodi Ashton - 1/7/2012 
4. The Legacy of Eden by Nelle Davy - 2/11/2012
5. Lovesick by Spencer Seidel - 2/15/2012
6. Partials by Dan Wells - 2/19/2012
7. The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker - 3/10/2012
8. What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen - 3/24/2012
9. One Moment by Kristina McBride - 3/30/2012
10. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen - 4/6/2012
11. The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain - 4/24/2012
12. Barefoot in the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire - 4/30/2012
13. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - 6/15/2012
14. Monarch Beach by Anita Hughes - 6/16/2012
15. Love is Murder edited by Sandra Brown - 6/18/2012
16. Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown - 6/21/2012
17. One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf - 7/1/2012
18. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - 8/4/2012
19. Wake by Amanda Hocking - 8/5/2012
20. Beneath the Glitter by Elle and Blair Fowler - 9/19/2012
21. Heaven Should Fall by Rebecca Coleman - 10/3/2012
22. Double Time by Olivia Cunning - 11/12/2012
23. Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens - 12/2/2012
24. 
    

Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publish Date: January 3, 2012

Hardcover, 400 pages 
Fiction, Young Adult, Futuristic, Fantasy, Science Fiction
 ISBN: 978-0312641894
The Lunar Chronicles #1

My Review:
Cinder had a lot to live up to and I usually dread reading books that I have heard nothing but wonderful things about.  What if I don't like it, what if it doesn't work for me?  Does that make me strange.  Well there wasn't anything to worry about here because I am jumping on the I absolutely love Cinder and can't wait for the next Lunar Chronicle bandwagon!

Ms. Meyer has really impressed me with this book.  First she has constructed this future world that while not too different from our world is still different enough that needs explanation.  Yet she never mires us in the explanation.  She lets the description of the world unfold as you read the book.  I got to know more about New Beijing and the futuristic Earth as the book progressed and it flowed so nicely.  From learning about the cyborgs, to the hovers and life in New Beijing and the life on the moon as well.  Ms. Meyer has carefully crafted the world and it comes to life on the page and in the reader's imagination as you read.

Second the characters.  Cinder, I love Cinder.  A futuristic Cinderella.  A taken-in cyborg and pseudo-step sister to one sweet girl and one vapid girl.  In this story Cinder is a talented mechanic and she is the provider for the family.  I really liked her character.  She's hard-working, she's strong and she's nice.  She loves and likes genuinely and she tries to be a good person and succeeds at it.  She is self-conscious at being a cyborg and a bit frustrated with it, but the reader understands this.  And of course Prince Kai, he is amazing.  Not stuck-up, but down-to-earth.  I loved him as well and pulled for him and Cinder through the book.  I look forward to future books to see what happens.  I loved the secondary characters as well, Ms. Meyer does a great job at making them interesting, nice, helpful or evil, whatever the situation needs.

Finally there is the plot.  Wow, a lot is going on, but you are never confused.  You know me, I won't go into details because I don't want to spoil anything, but just let me say.  If you start this book, you will finish it because you will want to know what is going to happen.  I loved it and felt it moved at a perfect pace.  And the ending is great - it ties up nicely for this book, but it sets up for the next book as well.  Which I cannot wait for.  When is it coming out?  Soon I hope - get writing Ms. Meyer!

So for me, Cinder has lived up to the hype so far.  It is a well-constructed story that held me captive for hours and kept me up past my bedtime (and that's hard to do when you take sleeping pills).  Cinder is a story for the ages, a new and original way to retell the Cinderella story.  I love the setting, the characters, the plot, oh my, what is not to love about this book.  Read it, and read it soon!

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

Parental guidance: From the standpoint of a parent, Cinder is a very clean book with no bad language or sexual situations (there are some references but they are vague enough to keep the book what I consider to be clean).  I would say this is definitely can be read as young as 12 and younger if your child is an advanced reader.  Ms. Meyer has cleverly crafted a book that is clean, yet I never thought about that fact until after it was over.  I love books, movies and tv shows like that.

About the Book:
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.

About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
I live in Tacoma, Washington, with my fiancé and our two cats. In addition to my slight obsession with books and writing, I'm big on road-tripping, wine-tasting, and hunting for antiques. I'm represented by Jill Grinberg.

CINDER, my debut novel, is a futuristic re-envisioning of Cinderella in which Cinder is a cyborg mechanic. Release date: 3 Jan 2012.

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FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I do make money from purchases made at The Book Depository and B&N.com, but all money is used to fund giveaways and shipping for giveaways from the blog.

Young Adult Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Young Adult Faeries and Fantasy Giveaway Hop sponsored by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer and vvb32 reads. I have a great prize for you.  One of my favorite YA fantasy authors, Victoria Simcox, has offered a signed copy of her book, The Black Shard for this giveaway hop.  More info about the book below and my 5/5 review can be found here.  This giveaway is open to US only. Fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter.

Please note that if you are signed into Rafflecopter with Facebook you will not have to enter your name and email, it does it automatically, you just have to hit enter.  If you have any problems with the form, email me at crystalfulcher(at)ec.rr.com.

The Black Shard by Victoria Simcox

The Black Shard, Victoria Simcox’s fast-paced, intricately woven sequel to The Magic Warble, takes Kristina Kingsly and her schoolmates back to Bernovem … and into a thrilling, often dangerous adventure.

Kristina’s stay at summer horse camp is horrible to say the least, and it’s all because Hester and Davina are there as well, making her life miserable. When Hester’s cruel prank goes terribly wrong, it’s actually what sends the three girls back to the magical land of Bernovem. In Bernovem, Kristina is very excited to see her former friend, Prince Werrien. When he invites her to sail with him on his ship to his homeland Tezerel, putting it simply, Kristina can’t refuse.

Reunited with her gnome, dwarf, animal, fairy friends … and best of all, Werrien, things seem like they couldn’t get any better for Kristina. But when Werrien becomes fascinated with an unusual seeing stone, the “Black Shard”, Kristina is haunted by a ghostlike old hag. Struggling against suspicion, guilt, illness, and ultimately the one who wants to possess her soul, Kristina will see it’s in her weakest moment that she will encounter more strength than she has ever known.

The Black Shard Website

The Black Shard on FB 

Victoria Simcox on twitter 

Victoria Simcox's Blog

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Playlist for Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala + Giveaway

Hello, and thanks to Crystal for celebrating the release of Don’t Breathe a Word and inviting me to stop by and chat about the playlist! Music is a huge part of Don’t Breathe a Word—Joy escapes
her secretly abusive life to a life on the streets with a new family…including Creed, the dreamy
musician who teaches her about survival and love.

Crystal asked me to tell you a little bit about the playlist—songs that both inspired the novel or
captured the emotional undercurrents of Joy and Creed’s story. I hope you enjoy!

(note: use the pop-out player to see the music - I don't know why it won't show up in my post, but the music shows up in the pop-out player)

This is Your Life, Switchfoot – Everything seems perfect in Joy’s life on the surface…so when
did it spin out of control? Nothing is what it seems, and there is only one way out.

I’m With You, Avril Lavigne – Even though Joy has spoken to Creed only once, his music speaks to her soul and calls her to believe his words: If you ever need help, you know where to find me.


Street Spirit (Fade Out), Radiohead – This is such a deeply painful and hopeless song, reminding me of the plight of many on the street. Joy begins to feel this kind of hopelessness before she meets May, Santos, and Creed.

You’re Not Alone, Saosin – Things change for Joy when she meets Creed, May, and Santos. But
there are challenges even in finding a new family…especially when they have secrets of their
own.


I Will Follow You into the Dark, Death Cab for Cutie – A song about life, death, loyalty, and love. Joy will find all of them, but in this moment, she finds only happiness.

Curl Up & Die, Relient K – Joy wants nothing but to rest her restless soul, but first she must
navigate her loyalty to her new family and the growing feelings she has for Creed.

Something of an End, My Brightest Diamond – Some good things must come to an end…and
some things shatter. When I heard this song, it gave me chills because it so closely mirrored such
a scene in DBAW.

Seventeen Forever, Metro Station – “We’re one mistake from being together, but let’s not ask
why it’s not right. You won’t be seventeen forever, and we can get away with this tonight…”
Sigh.


You Are More, Tenth Avenue North – Joy comes to a place where she must make a choice—to
stay silent and safe, or to speak and save the life of a friend.


Pride (In the Name of Love), U2 – A song of love, of triumph, of discovering that words have
power…and the power is love.

There are two songs I wasn’t able to include in the playlist—Deserter by Splashdown and
Frontload by Freezepop. I’ve loved Deserter for a long time, and it captures the essence of Joy’s story (that’s why we decided to use it for the DBAW trailer). Frontload is the song Joy and her friends are singing the night Asher shows his true colors…and the night Joy first meets Creed.
Plus it’s an awesome song!

Check out the rest of the DBAW tour for lots of chances to win books and prizes. Thank you,
Crystal, for having me to your blog, and I hope readers love Don’t Breathe a Word!

Holly's website 

Don’t Breathe a Word official site 

The {Teen} Book Scene DBAW tour 

Holly on Twitter

Holly on Facebook 

DBAW on Goodreads 

Order DBAW at Amazon

DBAW at IndieBound

GIVEAWAY Details

Harper has been kind enough to give Holly enough copies of DBaW to do a prize per day of the tour! And trust me when I say you want this book - my review will be coming next week - I read this months ago and it still sticks with me.  It's amazing!

Here is the details of how this is going to work:

*There will be one book given per day, drawn weekly. Everything entered by Saturday night will be put into a drawing on Sunday.

*The points DO accumulate, meaning entries put in for week one are still going to count for the drawings in weeks 2 and 3. (This is to reward those who follow/enter from the start, and doesn't punish them later because their entries are more spread out)

ENTRIES:

*There is one automatic entry

*For every post you comment on, it is one entry.  You must enter the link to the post you commented on in the entry form below.  (So make sure you comment here for an entry!)  Then check out the rest of the tour stops and comment and enter them on the form below)

*There is an extra entry if you tweet, facebook, do a blog post or somehow include on your blog. It is one for each of these, but only 1 per type (meaning you can't tweet every day and get points for it... its just one tweet)

*You need to fill out the form EACH time you do something to enter. If there is no link, the entry does not count (beyond the first initial entry, that you can just enter to win from)

There will be ONE international winner a week, assuming an international person gets drawn.  If the winner is international, they will be getting a copy from The Book Depository. US/Canada copies will be mailed from Holly and the copies will be signed.

The final drawing will held Sunday, January 15, and will include all entries through midnight CST Sat, Jan 14.

Here is the form to enter from: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGtuYnlZaWF1UUJmTlVzQmFEb1ZEV1E6MQ

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

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

I tried out Lisa Scottoline years ago when I found out about her through the Nora Roberts message board, A Day with out French Fries, (long before there were numerous blogs to help me find books).  And ever since I tried her, I keep coming back.  I haven't read as  much of her series as I have wanted (I meant to go back and start from the beginning), but I have read each of her stand-alones as they come out and I have yet to be disappointed.  So I eagerly await this one:

Come Home by Lisa Scottoline

Publish Date: 4/10/2012

Lisa Scottoline has delivered taut thrillers with a powerful emotional wallop in her New York Times bestsellers Save Me, Think Twice, and Look Again. Now, with her new novel, Come Home, she ratchets up the suspense with the riveting story of a mother who sacrifices her future for a child from her past.

Jill Farrow is a typical suburban mom who has finally gotten her and her daughter's lives back on track after a divorce. She is about to remarry, her job as a pediatrician fulfills her---though it is stressful---and her daughter, Megan, is a happily over-scheduled thirteen-year-old juggling homework and the swim team.

But Jill’s life is turned upside down when her ex-stepdaughter, Abby, shows up on her doorstep late one night and delivers shocking news: Jill’s ex-husband is dead. Abby insists that he was murdered and pleads with Jill to help find his killer. Jill reluctantly agrees to make a few inquiries and discovers that things don’t add up. As she digs deeper, her actions threaten to rip apart her new family, destroy their hard-earned happiness, and even endanger her own life. Yet Jill can’t turn her back on a child she loves and once called her own.

Come Home reads with the breakneck pacing of a thriller while also exploring the definition of motherhood, asking the questions: Do you ever stop being a mother? Can you ever have an ex-child? What are the limits to love of family? 

So what are you waiting on this week?