Top 11 Books In 2011

As 2011 comes to an end, I thought I'd share with you guys my favorite top 11 books of 2011. In no particular order...

I cannot put into words how much I loved, loved, loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. From the fantasy, to the romance and the overall story telling, I engulfed every single page of this brilliant novel. If you only read one book for the rest of your life, make it this one!

I've got two words for you: Cricket Bell. LOVE HIM! Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins was one of the most anticipated books last year, and it's no wonder. No one writes contemporary novels like Stephanie Perkins, and no one can create such swoon-worthy guys.

Divergent by Veronica Roth is by far one of the best dystopian novels I've read since The Hunger Games. I absolutely love strong heroines, and they don't get stronger than Tris. Plus, if you've noticed the banner on the top of my blog, I kind of have a thing for Four.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman is the follow up to her bestseller If I Stay. If you want a truly touching, heartbreaking story, I suggest you start with If I Stay and follow it with Where She Went. And for those who have read both, I'm sure you agree that Adam's story in Where She Went is not only touching but, well, beautiful.

I cannot recommend The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern enough. Do you know how many copies I purchased over the holidays/in general as gifts? Five, and every single one of them LOVED it (Read it already, Karen!). Oh my goodness, I love the details the author puts into every scene, every stage and every character. Le sigh, how I love thee.

Holy moly, is Enclave by Ann Aguirre's world scary! This book is jam packed with action, adventure, twists and turns. If the world ever ends, please don't let it be like Enclave!

When I first picked up Across The Universe by Beth Revis, I didn't know what to think. Spaceships just really aren't my thing. At least, not until Across The Universe. I loved the alternating points of views and all the shocking secrets that were slowly unveiled. Fair warning, if you have yet to read Across The Universe, you might also want to get your hands on A Million Suns once it releases. Trust me, it is (if this is even possible) 100 times better than Across The Universe, and Across The Universe is out of this world!

Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have ) by Sarah Mlynowski is, to say the least, LMAO hilarious! I haven't laughed so hard while a reading a book in, well...ever? Seriously, if you need a good laugh, then you need this book.

If Shiver had a baby with Lament, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater would be the outcome. It's absolutely breathtaking. I love Maggie's writing and The Scorpio Races is just further proof of what a genius she is. I will never look at horses the same way!

Hourglass by Myra McEntire. Holy freaking moly, this book is amazeballs! I mean, I haven't read a time traveling novel this good since The Time Traveler's Wife. AND OH EM GEE, is Michael SA-WOOOOOOON worthy! <3 And last, but certainly not least...

Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready is the sequel to her amazing novel, Shade. I had to wait a year for this book, and believe me, it was worth it. And wow, Zachary? Without spilling any spoilers, I'll just say he steams up this novel a bit. Few, I'm fanning myself just thinking about it!


And that's it, folks! There's my Top 11 books for 2011. Thanks for tuning in, and feel free to leave links to your posts or comments below. :-)

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It showcases each blogger's most anticipated books. This week, my pick is Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst.

Summary: "In a desert land where serpents made of unbreakable glass fly through the sky and wolves made of only sand hunt within storms, Liyana is destined to be a vessel, to sacrifice herself so that her clan's goddess can inhabit her body... but her goddess never comes."

Why I Can't Wait: First off, I have to mention how freaking GORGEOUS the cover is! I just love the colors and mysterious smoke. Next, the summary. Even though it's a bit vague, it still has me dying to read it. And finally, it's Sarah Beth Durst! While I haven't read Drink, Slay, Love (Shame on me!), I have read Enchanted Ivy and really enjoyed it. Thus, my long wait till Vessel's September release.

Expected publication: September 11th 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. In case you missed my post yesterday, HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!! Now, let's get this show on the road!

Traded For:
*Partials by Dan Wells (goodreads)
*Switched by Amanda Hocking (goodreads)

Gifted:
*The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa (goodreads) (THANKS, BAIlEY! You're such an awesome friend, and I can't wait to see you at ALA midwinter!)
*Unearthly- Australian edition by Cynthia Hand (goodreads) (THANK YOU SO MUCH, SANDY! I have been hunting down the Australian edition of Unearthly all year, and Sandy got it for me. You're the best! And btw, this picture doesn't do the cover justice)

*I also got a note and Temptation of Angels magnet from Michelle Zink. Y'all, she's so generous and amazing. Thank you so much, Michelle!

But wait, there's more. A few weeks ago, I tweeted about how my boyfriend wrapped up this giant tv sized Christmas gift for me. Well, inside was his old playstation and various other things for "weight", a pillow for "protection", and this:

I can't believe it! He actually got me an iPad with two Marc Jacobs cases! HE ACTUALLY KNOWS ME! Needless to say, I love him like whoa.

***Special thanks to Stephanie, Lyndsey, Bailey, and Sandy.

Happy Holidays!!!

I know I'm totally late and lame, but HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! I hope it was as amazing and wonderful as every single one of you are. May you over eat and all your wishes come true. 2012, here we come!

Cover Reveal : Chosen Ones

Whenever Entangled Publishing asked whether or not I would like to participate in their cover reveal, all they told me was that the cover is gorgeous. I'm never one to past up a fabulous opportunity, but holy cow, were they right. First off, let's talk a little about the book.

The book is called Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt and is the first book in Truitt's Lost Souls series. It's a dystopian (EEEP) novel about a girl name Tiffany who lives in a compound after the fourth World War. Clearly, I'm not going to do this book justice, thus, the summary:

"What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?"

Le sigh. Sounds amazing, right. Hold on...wait. It's finally time to reveal the cover. Are you ready?

1...





2...







3! TA DA!

Ahhh, so gorgeous!!! You can click it to see a larger version of the cover. Special thanks to Danielle at Entangled Publishing for giving me and all the other bloggers this opportunity. Be sure to add Chosen Ones to your TBR list!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It features each blogger's most anticipated books. This week, my pick is Gilt by Katherine Longshore.

Summary: "In the Tudor age, ambition, power and charismatic allure are essential and Catherine Howard has plenty of all three. Not to mention her loyal best friend, Kitty Tylney, to help cover her tracks. Kitty, the abandoned youngest daughter of minor aristocracy, owes everything to Cat – where she is, what she is, even who she is. Friend, flirt, and self-proclaimed Queen of Misrule, Cat reigns supreme in a loyal court of girls under the none-too-watchful eye of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.

When Cat worms her way into the heart of Henry VIII and becomes Queen of England, Kitty is thrown into the intoxicating Tudor Court. It’s a world of glittering jewels and elegant costumes, of gossip and deception. As the Queen’s right-hand-woman, Kitty goes from the girl nobody noticed to being caught between two men – the object of her affection and the object of her desire.

But the atmosphere of the court turns from dazzling to deadly, and Kitty is forced to learn the difference between trust and loyalty, love and lust, secrets and treason. And to accept the consequences when some lessons are learned too late."

Why I Can't Wait: You guys, I cannot tell you how obsessed I am with the Tudors. I remember learning about them in high school and being completely memorized with the story of Henry VIII and his six wives. Oh, and how I loved when Showtime finally turned it into a tv show! Henry Cavill, rawr!

After reading the summary for Gilt, I now want nothing more than to get my hands on this goodie. I mean, seriously! Look at the cover! Did you read the summary? I love that it's all told through the eyes of Catherine's best friend. And though we all know how the story will end, aren't you still curious to see what happens inbetween? I SURE AM!


Expected publication: May 15th 2012 by Viking Juvenile

10 HarperTeen eBooks for $0.99 Each?!?!

I'm not one to advertise on my blog, but I had to share this incredible deal with y'all. HarperTeen is promoting 10 eBooks for $0.99 each! Seriously?! I mean, look at this list:


*Unearthly by Hand, Cynthia
*Vesper by Sampson, Jeff
*Hereafter by Hudson, Tara
*Bumped by McCafferty, Megan
*The Unidentified by Mariz, Rae
*The Poison Diaries by Wood, Maryrose
*Entwined by Dixon, Heather
*Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Mlynowski, Sarah
*Withering Tights by Rennison, Louise
*Lucky by Vail, Rachel

To find out where to purchase these goodies, CLICK HERE.

I've only read a few of these, but they rocked my world. I'll definitely taking advantage of this deal and hope you do, too! HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO US!!!

Review: Kiss Crush Collide

Title: Kiss Crush Collide
Author: Christina Meredith
Expected publication: December 27th 2011 by Greenwillow Books
Source: ARC courtesy of the publisher for review

Summary: "Leah has the life most high school girls would kill for—popularity, glowing grades, a rich, athletic boyfriend. So why does she feel like she can’t breathe? And why can’t she stop thinking about the boy from the country club? The one who isn’t her boyfriend, the one that her mother would never, ever approve of, the one that her perfect older sisters would never, ever look at twice. The one who is always looking back at her. Irresistible attraction, smoldering glances, the bad boy and the good girl—Kiss Crush Collide has everything that a steamy forbidden romance should, and then some.

With graceful and honest writing and an electric love story, this is a book about growing into your own skin. For fans of Perfect Chemistry, Sarah Dessen, and John Green."

First line: "'Leah!' My mother rolls her eyes, sounding completely exasperated as she steps down the three thick stone slabs at our front door, her heels clacking."

Thoughts: Y'all know there is nothing I love more than a fabulous YA novel, with enough romance to make my heart burst. I thought Kiss Crush Collide would be that novel, but sadly, it just fell short. Really short. We're talking I-struggled-to-finish-it short.

Where to begin.

I really did not enjoy the overall flow to the story. The narration of the story jumped everywhere. One minute, she was talking about herself, the next her family, then her boyfriend, back to her sisters, back to herself, etc, all within just a few short pages. It was like listening to a 4 year old on a candy high try and tell you a story. Needless to say, it made the book quite strenuous to follow and the characters difficult to connect with.

The dialogue...well, what dialogue? Every so often, Leah or one of her sisters or mother would say one line then stop. End of conversation until the next page. I don't think anyone really had any real conversations that lasted more than a minute. Aren't high school girls suppose to be chatty? Aren't people in general suppose to be chatty? I guess not in the world of Kiss Crush Collide.

The romance was unbearable. It wasn't romance. It was pure teenage lust. After barely speaking with Porter (someone who is not Leah's boyfriend), she finds herself making out with him and "doing things she only did with her boyfriend after waiting 11 or so months". Really? Porter's practically a stranger to her, and she runs off with him to do naughty things? And please, do not even get me started on how many times her breast (which are bigger than her sisters') started falling out of her top. That is not something teenagers nor anyone outside a Harlequin romance novel should discuss.

And finally, Leah. I cannot put into words how much I disliked the main character. I felt like she was far too snobby and conceited. She constantly spoke of things such as her family's wealth (her dad buys them each a car for their 16th birthday, but she doesn't drive it), how smart she and her sisters are, and how no one gives her a chance even though, when someone tries to speak with her, she comes off agitated, rude and snippy. I would love to say she grows through out the story, but that would be a lie. She pretty much stays the same irritating character.

I'm sorry guys, but I can't hide my disappointment when it comes to Kiss Crush Collide. The cover is so gorgeous and with the way the summary is described (how it's comparing the book to such things as Perfect Chemistry and John Green), I really thought I would fall in love with it. Sadly, that's not the case at all. From the beginning to the end, I struggled with it. I kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't. I even found myself speed reading through the majority of the book, just to finish, and I hardly ever do that. Personally, I wouldn't recommend this book. If you're looking for a fabulous contemporary novel, look for titles by John Green, Sarah Dessen, Simon Elkeles, Gayle Forman or Jennifer Echols.

Rating:

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. I should really call this edition of IMM the "Covers Edition" because I am completely in love with each and every one of these covers. AHH, ch-ch-check it out!

*Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey (goodreads)(Thanks, Stacy!)
*Before You Go by James Preller (goodreads
*52 Reasons To Hate My Father by Jessica Brody (goodreads) (LOVE JESSICA BRODY!)
*Montrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama (goodreads)
*Of Poseidon by Anna Banks (goodreads) (AHHHHHHH!!!!)
*Fracture by Megan Miranda (goodreads)
*All These Lives by Sarah Wylie (goodreads) (Kind of reminds me of Imaginary Girls.)
*The Raft by S.A. Bodeen (goodreads)
*Struck by Jennifer Bosworth (goodreads) (AHHHHH!!!!)
*Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver (goodreads) (I think I just peed in my pants. How I've missed you, Lena...not me.)


***A extra special thanks to Macmillan, Farrar Straus and Giroux, HarperTeen and Stacy over at Urban Fantasy Investigations.***

And that's it! I had some technical difficulties a couple weeks back and could not comment on many of your blogs. For that, I am sorry. Everything is fixed now, so feel free to leave a comment below. I'll be sure to drop by and leave you some love as soon as I can (AKA after the Texans game!).

Interview and Giveaway With Sisterhood of Heartbreaker's Author Lynn Weingarten

Y'all, I cannot tell you how excited I am to have Lynn Weingarten on my blog today. I really enjoyed reading her first novel Wherever Nina Lies, and today, Lynn's here to talk about her upcoming novel The Sisterhood of Heartbreakers. Without furthur ado, here's Lynn!

1. How did you come up with the idea for The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers?

A friend of mine was reading a book about how to pick up girls and I read it because I was curious. In the book there are groups of guys who go around together doing this and I was thinking it would be fun if there was a group of girls who did the same thing, only with a little magic involved.  


2. If there was a SSoH when you were in high school, do you think you'd be apart of it?

Ha! No, I don't think so. But if there had been a Secret Sisterhood of Ridiculous Dances or a Secret Sisterhood of Hanging Out at Lizzie's House I would definitely have been a member of those.

3. Who is your favorite literary couple?
Lily and James Potter.

(YES!  I think I just fell in love with you!)


4. Will The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers be a series or a standalone?

There will be a sequel, which I am right now in the process of revising. Just before starting to answer these questions I changed the line, "somewhere in Canada" to "in a bathroom in Toronto." Yup!

(HAAAAH!  What are they doing in the bathroom?  *raises eyebrows*)


5. Any advice for girls who have had their hearts broken?

Listen to loud music and scream along, hang out with friends, read some sad books, read some happy books (but no love stories!), watch stupid TV, find a dog to play with, get a million hugs, eat candy, eat healthy stuff, get enough sleep.

AWESOME advice!  Lynn, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions for us.    Be sure to check out The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers when it releases December 27, 2011! 

Want to win an ARC of SSoH?  Well you're in luck!  One person will win an ARC of SSoH, as well as a signed swag pack courtesey of Lynn and another person will win a signed swag pack!   All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. 

This giveaway is only open to US participants and will end December 31st and midnight CST. As always, extra entries will be rewarded to followers, tweeters, etc. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at addicted2novels(at)gmail(dot)com.

Good luck and Happy Holidays!!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It features each blogger's most anticipated books. This week, my pick is The Selection by Kiera Cass.

Summary: "For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined."

Why I Can't Wait: First off, the cover? GORGEOUS! I love all the blue, the dresses, and the way all the girls are positioned. Next, the summary sounds absolutely amazing. I love the concept of being selected to marry the Prince and being torn from your possible true love. It kind of reminds me of the movie Ever After for some reason. Nonetheless, I cannot wait to read it!

Expected publication: April 24th 2012 by HarperTeen

Review: Stolen Away

Title: Stolen Away (goodreads/amazon)
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Expected publication: January 17th 2012 by Walker Childrens
Source: ARC provided by publisher for review

Summary: "For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife. . . Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric-who may or may not betray them."

Thoughts: I don't know how Alyxandra Harvey does it, but yet again she has written another adventurous and addicting novel. I just couldn't put it down! From the enticing characters to the nonstop action and even the humorous dialogue, Stolen Away simply stole me away.

The story is written from two separate points of view. First off, you have Eloise. Her story is interesting in the sense that her Aunt Antonia is not only human but also the wife of the fey king, Strahan. In this story, the fey king only rules for 7 years before passing on the crown. Not Strahan. He wants to rule forever and Antonia is the only one who can stop him.

With that said, Eloise doesn't even know faeries exists. At least, not until she meets the handsome and charming Lucas. He may dress a little funny, but he sure can take Eloise's breath away. It turns out Lucas is Eloise's protector and after Eloise's aunt is captured, they must travel to Faerie and rescue her. What I love about Eloise is that even though she knows the dangers that await her in Faery, it doesn't stop her from wanting to rescue her aunt and save her friends. She's probably the most gentle out of all the characters, but can still be tough when she needs to be.

My personal favorite character, though, has to be Jo. The other half of the story is told through her point of view, and let's just say she's wild like a firecracker! I loved her witty and snarky comments. She had be bursting out laughing on several different occasions. Plus, I think I also enjoyed her romantic relationship more than I did with Eloise and Lucas. Jo and said character (sorry, no spoilers!) just had more passion between the two of them. Where Eloise and Lucas were sweet, Jo and said character were hot. To me, the spicier it is, the more I love it (this applies to food and books!).

Overall, Stolen Away is an interesting take on the Faery realm. It offers readers two separate boys to fall in love with and two heroines to cheer for. Double the pleasure, double the fun, right? I would highly recommend this to fans of Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series and Harvey's Drake Chronicles.

Rating:

Giveaway: Catching Jordan

Want to win a copy of Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally? I don't blame you! It's an incredible book, and I'm so happy and honored to be giving it away today.

Thanks to Sourcebooks, I have one copy to giveaway to one lucky participant today. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

*This giveaway is only open to US and CA participants.
*Extra entries will be rewarded to followers, tweeting about the giveaway and commenting on my review of Catching Jordan.
*This giveaway ends December 30 at midnight CST.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at addicted2novels(at)gmail(dot)com. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Extra special thanks to Sourcebooks for sponsoring this giveaway. You guys rock my socks off!

Review: Catching Jordan

Title: Catching Jordan (Goodreads)
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Published: December 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Copy sent by publisher for review

Summary: "What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate."

First line: "I once read that football was invented so people wouldn't notice summer ending."

Thoughts: From the moment I picked up Catching Jordan, I knew it was going to be a cute read. What I wasn't expecting was how funny, clever, witty and overall incredible it'd be. I loved it from the very beginning and never wanted it to end. I'm not kidding, for an entire day, my life was consumed with all things Catching Jordan. I reread my favorite scenes, quoted my favorite lines and fangirled to anyone who would listen to me on Twitter. Yes, I loved it THAT much!

Jordan is your typical high school girl, except for the fact that she's the quarterback for one of the best high school teams in Tennessee. Her life is consumed with football, especially considering her father, the great Donovon Woods, is the quarterback for the Titans. Too bad her father's constantly telling her to do something else and doesn't approve of her football dreams. Luckily, her teammates and brother do.

Enter Ty. He just moved into town from Texas and *gasps*, is a better quarterback than Jordan. Jordan earned her spot on the team. There's no way the coach will just give it to Ty, right? And to top things off, for the first time ever, Ty is igniting a passion inside Jordan she didn't think existed. What's a girl to do?

First off, I have to tell you how much I absolutely adored every single guy in this book. A girl playing football will 99.9 percent of the time cause some sort of ridicule from her peers. In this case, Jordan's teammates and friends were always supportive and always had her back. I loved, loved, loved how devoted and loyal they were. Sure, the majority of them were total manwhores, but as far as friendship goes, they're solid.

Also, I love how incredibly strong Jordan is. She knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to fight for it. There were times where she wanted to just give up, yet never did. If she was a guy, she wouldn't have to deal with all the ridiculous trials and tribulations these colleges and "haters" put her through. And regardless of all those things, Jordan still fought for what she wanted.  Needless to say, she had my girl power mojos working overtime!
Oh, and swoon-worthy males. Though there's two guys you can easily fall in love with, my personal favorite was Sam Henry. Oh my goodness, I could not get enough of him. Whenever I need a good laugh, I think about this one scene between him, Jordan and "Jerry Rice". He's sweet, funny and extremely charming.  At times, he can be a jerk, but he's the best kind of jerk (if that makes any sense).

For fans of Jennifer Echols, Simone Elkeles and Kay Cassidy, you are going to LOVE Catching Jordan. It kind of reminds me of a football version of the movie Mean Girls, only with less mean girls and more hunky guys! If you're looking for a funny read that'll capture your heart from the very first page, this is the book for you.

Rating: 5 stars (Sorry, I'm writing this at work and don't have my fishbowls saved to this computer!)

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It features each blogger's most anticipated books. This week, my pick is The Thing About The Truth by Lauren Barnholdt.

Summary: "Sixteen-year-old Kelsey Romano has always been one of the most popular girls at Concordia Prep. But after a disastrous breakup and her subsequent meltdown (um, destruction of school property, anyone?) she's kicked out of Con Prep and shipped off to Concordia High School, for good.

Seventeen-year-old Isaac Brandano has been kicked out of more prep schools than he can name. But now that his father's State Senate campaign is pushing a public school agenda, Isaac finds himself enrolled at Concordia High.

Kelsey and Isaac are destined to hate each other. And at first, they do. But when they are forced together on the creation of a new school club, sparks begin to fly. Then the club's critical event turns into chaos. Now Kelsey and Isaac must retrace their steps and figure out how and why everything got so got screwed up, who was to blame, and how they can move forward.

This new novel from fan-favorite Lauren Barnholdt showcases--through a sweet and sparkly narrative--how the last person you expect might just be the one who changes your life forever."

Why I Can't Wait: HUGE Lauren Barnholdt fan here. I absolutely loved Aces Up and Sometimes It Happens, so needless to say, I cannot freaking wait for her next book. I'm loving the summary. If you know me, you know I love a good love-hate relationship! The only thing I'm not so sure about is the cover. While it's nice, the girl looks...bored? Annoyed? Maybe this has something to do with the story, so I guess we shall all wait and see!

Expected publication: July 10th 2012 by Simon Pulse

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. I'M SOOOO EXCITED! AND I JUST CAN'T HIDE IT! Seriously, everything I received this week is on my wish list, and I'm ever so grateful. Ch-ch-check it out!

For Review:
*Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally (Keep your eyes open for a giveaway soon!)
*Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Trades:
*Eternal Starling (signed!) by Angela Corbett (Thanks, Viven!)

Gifted:
*The Death Cure (Maze Runner #3) by James Dashner (Signed and personalized!). Super, super, gigantic thanks to Catie who not only gifted me with The Death Cure (the last book in one of my favorite trilogies!) but also got my copies of Matched, Crossed, and Everneath signed. Seriously, so many fabulous authors live in Utah!

**Special thanks also to Sourcebooks and TorTeen. **

And that's it for this edition of In My Mailbox. Feel free to leave links to your IMM posts below, and I'll be sure to visit your blog ASAP!

XOXO

December Dystopia Giveaway

This December, I'm celebrating dystopia in a big way. As you know, I'm a huge fan of dystopian novels. It's quickly becoming one of my favorite genres, and what better way to ring in the new year than to give one away? This month, I'm giving away any dystopia novel of your choice, whether it's a current release, a pre-ordered copy, a sequel, etc. Whatever your little heart desires!

Need some ideas and inspiration? Here's a small list of possible prizes:

*Across The Universe by Beth Revis
*A Million Suns by Beth Revis
*Wither by Lauren DeStefano
*Fever by Lauren DeStefano
*Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
*Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
*The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
*Delirium by Lauren Oliver
*Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
*The Hunger Games or Catching Fire or Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
*Matched by Ally Condie
*Crossed by Ally Condie
*Divergent by Veronica Roth
*Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I'm sure you get the point. The sky is the limit!

*This giveaway will be open to international participants (provided The Book Depository delivers to your area) and will end December 31st at midnight CST.
*You must comment below, and let everyone know your favorite dystopian novel.
*You must be at least 13+ to enter or have a parent email me permission.
*Extra entries will be rewarded to followers and tweeters!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at addicted2novels(at)gmail(dot)com.

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.