Top Ten Tuesday - 61

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for bloggers who like to make lists about books.

Top Ten New to Me Authors I Read in 2012

1. George R.R. Martin
My brother introduced me to this series (and to the HBO show). Being such a big fan of Harry Potter, I'm surprised I hadn't come across A Song of Ice and Fire before. They are very long, but it allows for intricate plot and character development, along with excellent world-building.

2. Tammara Weber
Easy is Tammara's first New Adult novel, and the first I've read, if you can believe it. It was a great read and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next.

3. Morgan Rhodes
Morgan Rhodes is the pen name for YA author Michelle Rowan, and I just finished her novel Falling Kingdoms yesterday (which is being released today so head to your bookstore)! It's reminiscent of A Song of Ice and Fire, but not as long and definitely for teenagers.

4. Morgan Matson
I read both of her books this year, Amy and Roger's Epic Detour and Second Chance Summer. Both books are amazing and I would definitely recommend them for fans of contemporary YA.

5. Kelly Oram
I also read two of her books this year: V is For Virgin (review coming soon) and Serial Hottie. I can't believe I've waited this long because her books are so fun and usually have an interesting romance.

6. Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert is my favorite comedian and I watch his show regularly. His first book I Am America and So Can You is a few years old but I finally got around to reading it in 2012. Now I can't wait to read his recently released book!

7. Jennifer Echols
She's been around for a few years but I hadn't read anything by her until I read Such a Rush this summer and it was a great read!

8. Courtney Summers
Same goes for Courtney Summers - so many bloggers love her but I never got a chance to read any of her books until Fall for Anything. Luckily I wasn't disappointed!

9. Megan McCafferty
I've never read the Jessica Darling Series, but I know everyone really likes them. It took me forever to read Bumped but I enjoyed it a lot. Now I have to get the sequel!

10. Corrine Jackson
She is a YA debut author, which is why I haven't read anything by her. But If I Lie was so amazing that I'm going to keep my eye on this author!

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

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

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed? (from GoodReads)

I was really excited to read Falling Kingdoms because I haven't read a good high fantasy novel in awhile and the back cover compared this to A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. Those are some big shoes to fill! Luckily for the synopsis writer, Falling Kingdoms was a great read and I was very impressed.

Like A Song of Ice and Fire, each chapter switches point-of-view between many different characters, all living in different regions and at different socioeconomic statuses. Sometimes the characters were even enemies, making the numerous narration very interesting. You get to decide which side you agree with (unlike with a single narrator) and see all points of the issues.

The big conflict in Falling Kingdoms is between three nations: Limeros, Auranos, and Paelsia. Limeros is cold, with a rigid and austere culture, while Auranos is warm and prosperous. Paelsia’s economy is failing so they align with Limeros in order to take back wealth from Auranos. In the middle of this there is forbidden love, magic, betrayal, unwanted marriages, death and a lot of other interesting things.

I was surprised how quickly I was drawn into the world of Falling Kingdoms. I was able to understand everything because the author provided just the right amount of detail. Luckily for me, there was also plenty of action so the reader isn’t overwhelmed with description. The book is pretty long, but I couldn’t put it down so it didn’t even matter! Falling Kingdoms left off on a pretty big cliffhanger so I am certainly looking forward to the next installment. If you are a fan of fantasy, I whole-heartedly recommend this book – you will not be disappointed!!!

Release Date: December 11, 2012

FTC: sent by publisher.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

2012/Razorbill/412 pages.

Winner of The Farm!

Thanks to everyone who participated in this contest. And the winner is ...

Sara K

I've emailed you so please send me your mailing address. If I don't hear back from you by Monday (Dec 10), I'll pick another winner.

The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

Summary:
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. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I don't read much steampunk (so far The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare and Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld), but it's certainly an interesting genre. For those who don't know, it's historical fiction (usually during the Victorian era) but includes technology that is anachronistic or sometimes totally made up. The Friday Society was steampunk and a good addition to the genre.

The steampunk aspect isn't too crazy in The Friday Society, as some of the inventions are things we have now (i.e. telephones, nuclear bombs). There is some new technology, such as flying boats and powerful weapons. But they weren't too outlandish, which made the story easier to understand.

The Friday Society follows three girls: Cora, Nellie, and Michiko. The girls are extremely different and all come from different backgrounds and bring different skills to their team. They randomly meet and then start investigating murders that have been occuring throughout London. I loved the girl-power aspect to the novel because it's great to read about strong female characters.

Things I disliked: the novel read very young, almost like MG. The characters are around seventeen, but the voice just seemed younger. I would have liked it to be more mature. Also, I thought Cora and Michiko were very well-rounded and developed characters, but Nellie not so much. Cora and Michiko had their own insecurities about being a woman in a man's line of work. Nellie's main issue was trying to fend off men because she's so beautiful. She's still a nice character but I would have like there to be more to it.

The mystery aspect was nice, but it wasn't anything too exciting. The book definitely leaves room for additional storytelling so I'm curious as to if this will be a series.

Rating: 7 out of 10.
Release Date: December 6, 2012
FTC: received from publisher.

2012/Dial/440 pages.

Waiting on Wednesday - 114

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine for bloggers and readers to learn about new books.

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

The final book in the New York Times bestselling trilogy, perfect for fans of Battlestar Galactica and Prometheus!

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

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

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

FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME. (from GoodReads)

I can't believe that this trilogy is almost over! I'm really curious to see what this new world will look like, especially since the first two books were spent on a spaceship. However, I'm super disappointed in the cover. Across the Universe had a beautiful cover and they keep changing and getting worse. Shades of Earth will be released January 15, 2013.

Top Ten Tuesday - 60

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for bloggers who like to make lists about books.

Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me

1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
I say this every other day, but I still can't believe I haven't read Insurgent yet. Any day now!

2. Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
I love Kody Keplinger but I'm behind on her books. I need to get reading!

3. America Again: Rebecoming the Greatness We Never Weren't by Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert is easily my favorite comedian. What a hilarious guy! His other book was really great so I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

4. A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
I love A Midsummer's Night Dream so I hope there are some fun references.

5. Rebel Heart by Moira Young
It seems like forever since I read Blood Red Road, which was an amazing novel. Can't wait to see what happens next!

6. The Story of Us by Deb Caletti
One of my favorite authors so I definitely need to read her latest book!

7. The Causal Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
I'm surprised I haven't heard of more people reading this but I really need to get it. It won't be as good as Harry Potter but I'm wondering what it will be like to read something different by J.K. Rowling.

8. The Diviners by Libba Bray
My favorite books of Libba Bray's are still The Gemma Doyle Trilogy and this is supernatural just like that! I hope it's just as good.

9. Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult
This is Jodi Picoult's first YA novel (co-written with her daughter) so I'm super excited to read it.

10. The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook
This is actually being released today! A girl who pretends to be a missing person in order to escape her life. I love books about teenage con artists.

The Farm by Emily McKay

Summary:
Life was different in the Before: before vampires began devouring humans in a swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined. These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the undead monsters, known as Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister Mel have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else notices—like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears out of nowhere, offering to help…

Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race...(from GoodReads)

Review:
I was really excited to receive a copy of The Farm in the mail because I had heard good things about it and it has a great rating on GoodReads. Luckily, The Farm was just as amazing as I expected and definitely breathed new life into the vampire genre.

The beginning of The Farm was a little confusing, especially because the world Lily lives in is so different than ours, and very different than the usual apocalyptic fare we're used to. Pretty much vampires have taken over the world, and they are intelligent, fast, and powerful. But there are also these vampire/zombie hybrids called Ticks, and all they care about is feeding. There are no human characteristics to them, which I thought was a very interesting addition. So there are many threats, not even including the humans that run the farms that all teenagers are forced to reside in.

Lily also has a twin sister who is autistic that she must care for. Lily's first concern is always to protect Mel and I thought it was nice to see two sisters who love each other so much. Their trio is complete when Lily's old school friend Carter is introduced. It's nice that we occasionally get his and Mel's perspectives, even though the book is mostly about Lily. Carter's POV definitely clears up some of the questions the readers have.

The Farm is exciting, thrilling, emotional and overall a very well-written novel. There's a twist at the end that I guessed about halfway through, but other readers might still be surprised. The Farm ends on a cliffhanger and I'm so excited to see what happens. When is the next book coming out?!?

For anyone who wants to read The Farm, I'm hosting a contest that ends tomorrow (Dec 5, 8 pm EST). Click here for details!!!!

Rating: 9 out of 10.
Release Date: Dec 4, 2012
FTC: from publisher.

2012/Berkley Trade/420 pages.