City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

If you read my review for book four in this series, you might have picked up on some disappointment. I kind of loved the ending of book three and then wasn’t too impressed with the direction book four was taking things. I take back all my unsure disappointment, and I replace it with happiness!

The things that drastically improved this one: Alex and Magnus playing a more important role in things, the romance/love scenes going even further (!), and Clary’s newfound shadow hunter strength! At least now when Clary, makes rash, reckless decisions, she has some fighter power to protect herself through the process. And most of all, I just love these characters. Clare really knows how to build on characters and she really demonstrates some of her best character development and dialogue in this one. For example, I had to include this short scene:

‘“My mother seems to have accepted it,” Alec said. “But my father –no, not really. Once he asked me what I thought had turned me gay.”
            Simon felt Isabelle tense next to him. “Turned you gay?” She sounded incredulous. “Alec, you didn’t tell me that.”
            “I hope you told him you were bitten by a gay spider,” said Simon” (pg 389).

Clare just has this magical way of discussing tough topics, but giving them a humorous twist in a way that is not only acceptable, but also makes her characters seem so much more real.

To the story! It takes place right after City of Fallen Angels finishes. After the epic scene on the rooftop with Lilith, and Jace finally having control and freedom once more, book four finishes with Sebastian (aka: the real Jonathan Morgenstern) making his back-to-life voice heard. And this book begins with Jace being missing. And while the Clave has been looking for him, they have also had other demon-type problems to deal with.

And when the Clave decides that they can’t spend much more time at all searching for Jace (after weeks of hearing nothing), Clary, Simon, Maia, Magnus, Alec, and Isabelle of course decide nothing will make them stop looking. Clary remembers a certain possible deal the fairy queen offered. And between dealing with fairies, stealing magical rings, and making more Clary-type risky decisions for people she loves, Clary seems so much braver now! And the other characters are all going through their own problems. Simon is falling harder for Isabelle. And Raphael wants Simon’s biblical protection. Maia and Jordan rekindle an old relationship. Jordan’s werewolf group comes in handy. Alec, Magnus, and Clary’s mother are hard at work trying to find a weapon that can help Jace.

And then of course when we see Jace, he is not in control of his own body again. This time Sebastian is controlling him. But, like before with Lilith, Jace can’t ever get Clary out of his mind. And this time, if anything happens to Sebastian, it also happens to Jace. You can’t kill one without killing the other. So the gang is on a mission to discover a weapon that can separate them. And Clary follows the controlled Jace through dimensions and countries, so she can find out as much as she can about how to thwart Sebastian’s evil plans. And his plans are evil. Instead of wanting to kill all downworlders like his father did. He wants to embrace them, and let the demons take over! He also wants to bring back Lilith, who he thinks of as his true mother. Clary has some tough decisions ahead of her, decisions like what’s more important to her: saving the world or saving Jace.

There’s a lot of new characters and side missions. There’s adventures and travels around the world. The book is loaded with romance! And I loved all the scenes with Clary, Jace, and Sebastian. All of those interactions were filled with so much tension that I never wanted them to end! Though, there was some more creepy incest-like-Sebastian-hitting-on-Clary-moments… I feel so bad for Jace who never seems to be in control of his own self any more! And for a character that is all about rebellious actions and freedom, it was so hard. And I love that these characters, while mostly all seeming to have teenage soul mates, have also dated more than one person! It’s about finding love, and loving more than once. And I like that.

The witty dialogue, the club scenes, all the scenes where Clary was finally able to kick major butt –her training has finally begun to pay off, the crazy magic spells, the angels, the demons, and the battles really made this book so much fun to read! I love these characters. I still kind of wish that Clary and Jace would have it a little easier and I’m interested in seeing how their relationship progresses in the next one! I’m also interested in seeing if a certain break-up lasts. And so much more! I give this one a 10/10, and I really can’t wait for what I think will really be the last book in this series.

Uglies: Shay's Story by Scott Westerfeld and illustrated by Steven Cummings

So, I much prefer reading novels to reading graphic novels. I can totally get into graphic novels or manga, much like any normal person, but it takes me a little while to get used to the whole setup because I read so few of them compared the amount of books I read. And while my inner-librarian likes anything that will get kids into reading, another part of me hates retellings done in graphic novel format. I like original graphic novels. And sometimes when things get redone, I can’t help but think how the original artist would feel. I feel this way about movies too, yet I still watch them. I’m a contradictory person, I guess.

But, this book is kind of different. For starters, it’s Westerfeld, and if anything has his name on it, I think it’s safe to say at this point, I will read it. And it’s not a normal re-telling. It’s retold from a different character’s perspective. His original series is told from Tally’s point of view. And I always kind of thought of Shay as the somewhat dumber, and rather selfish best friend. So, I was glad to be able to see her in a different light. Also, Westerfeld, had a say in how his characters were illustrated. That helps a lot. I wish more authors were given the right to have more of a say in their retellings.

It takes place around the same time Uglies began. Instead of just witnessing Tally’s abandonment by all her new, pretty friends, though we get to see Shay hanging out with the Crims, a group of uglies who plan lots of tricks, like turning a whole pretty party naked at the exact same time. And the reason we find out that Shay didn’t go with her friends to begin with to the Smoke, was because David wrote her a letter saying he knew she was in love with him, and that she shouldn’t risk everything for him, but should risk it for herself.

Instead of the harsh letter affecting her too much, Shay decides David is an egocentric jerk, and that she will do what she wants for herself, no matter what anyway. And then she meets Tally, in Prettytown, doing her own worthy trick. And it’s so frustrating to see Shay trying to convince Tally that she is pretty, and that she doesn’t need a surgery. And it’s even harder to watch the two boys who will eventually love Tally, love Shay first (both of them!) Shay and David had a first kiss! And the whole reason Zane didn’t go to the Smoke in the beginning (well maybe not the whole reason because he does tell Shay he knows Special Circumstances is real) is because he also got a note from David saying not to go just because he was in love with Shay.

So, I guess what I’m saying is here I finally understand the levels of Shay’s anger. Not only did Tally cause the Smoke to be found out, bring on an unwanted pretty surgery, and totally betray her, but she also managed to get both the guys who originally loved Shay, to love her…That is a lot to forgive in a best friend! And I also liked seeing certain things in this format! I loved seeing the smoke! I loved seeing the hover boards and getting a better idea of what flying them looks like!

Watching Shay and Tally initially become friends was nice too. In the book, I just didn’t fully understand their friendship. But, the risks, tricks, and flying they do together that I can see in this format, made their initial bond seem stronger to me.

The only thing I was not a fan of was how abbreviated everything was. I would have liked to see more of the Specials finding Smoke, more of the fighting, and definitely more action. Though, I get this format limits length a little bit.

Overall, I was super impressed here! I loved getting Shay’s side. I loved seeing how these characters might look. Though none of the uglies were actually ugly. I’m not sure if that was on purpose or not –you know everything being a matter of perspective and what not. They did all kind of look like super cute Sailor Moon anime versions of what I’d myself imagine, but in this case it worked. It worked with the overall statement of the book. I loved how the end was portrayed with the surgery! And I definitely loved getting more of a story I thought I would never hear more of! I give it a 10/10, and I’m so glad this exists!

Forgiven by Jana Oliver

I got to meet Jana Oliver recently, and she was so cool! She chatted with me a bit, and even gave me some extra swag! She was so cool, but I acted like an idiot and referred to Beck as Riley while talking about her books! She laughed along with me though at my blunder. I know I must have asked her if there would be more books in this series, but I couldn’t remember what she said, so I looked it up on her blog just now, and I am so happy to know that book 4 is in the works! Because I need a few more things settled! You know, Riley saving the world from an apocalypse just wasn’t enough for me! I need all the loose ends tied up.

So, this book was just so awesome! I love this series! I love Riley! What can be bad about a girl who kicks serious demon butt, puts her family above all else, wants to succeed in a job dominated only be men, and is marked to both help heaven and hell?

Partly due to her ex-boyfriend, Simon, and partly due to her “involvement” with the fallen angel, Ori, Riley gets taken in for questioning by the Vatican’s demon hunters, who are way more religious than the Atlanta demon trappers. The questions stop and Riley is let go when they do a test on her that reveals the sign of hell on one hand and the sign of heaven on the other. Someone with the sign of heaven is apparently someone who can be released, as long as she’s watched and doesn’t wander over to Lucifer’s side any time soon.

And while Riley might have given her virginity to a fallen angel (who she didn’t know was a fallen angel), and she might owe Lucifer a favor, she certainly has not promised anyone her soul, or at least not yet. So, she has that going for her, I guess. Though, apparently, her father did make a deal with his soul. Lucifer reanimated her father who had made a deal with him, all in effort to protect Riley. And while the demon hunters and demon trappers alike are working together with the giant onslaught of demons in Atlanta, Riley is building up her relationship with her dead/reanimated father. She’s also learning a little about magic from the witches and necromancy from the necromancers. Riley and Beck get a lot closer in this one too, despite the fact that Beck is so mad at her for sleeping with Ori.

Oh, and Riley learns early on in this book that the little favor that heaven wants from her is to prevent an apocalypse. There’s a lot of fighting, questioning, kissing, surviving, mystery solving, and world saving in this one! Not only are there more demons, but now there are demons that bullets can’t affect. And demons who can now walk on holy ground. There are zombie demons. There are people, Riley discovers, who are worse than Lucifer. A lot happens in this book. A lot gets answered. And Riley has to ask herself a lot of tough questions. The top one being, how much is her soul really worth? Is it worth giving up to save her father, to save Beck, or even to save the world?

There are angry good angels, fallen angels turned into statues, Lucifer appearances, and then all the fun, normal stuff like class time in Starbucks and investigating phony holy water. There’s an epic battle at the end that reminded me a lot of the battle at the end of The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman and also of a certain season finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. All the magic, angel/demon mythology, and end-of-the-world type action has made this book my favorite one in the series so far.

It ended with a little bit of a cliffhanger/mystery. And I know a lot will continue to go down in the next volume, and I am so excited and ready for it. I recommend this series highly to fans of Buffy. And I give it a 10/10.

A Good Week in Books (5)

So technically this good week was last week, but last week I was house-sitting/cat-sitting and all the books I wasn’t reading at the time were at home.

I bought some books. I got all my pre-orders in the mail! I got a couple of books on NetGalley. I won some books from a blog giveaway. I got some free books from work. And I was sent one book in the mail to review from the publisher.

I bought these two beauties at my favorite independent Chicago bookstore: Women and children First.

 
The Agency: The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee (It’s book 2 in a series I started a while ago. Book 3 is already out, so I have some catching up to do! The first one was such a fun YA mystery!)
Blue Thread by Ruth Tenszer Feldman (Never saw this one before. It’s a YA book that deals with women’s rights and the suffragists, so how I know I have to like it)

I bought this one at my store, which is not independent, but will always have a special place in my heart. I’ve been going to Barnes and Noble since I was kid. And this one is signed!

The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi (It’s book 2 in a series I started last year. I was really impressed with the first book, so I’m really looking forward to this one!)

I got these wonderful pre-orders in the mail!

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
Insurgent by Veroinca Roth

I got these books for free, at work!

 
The Iron King
The Iron Queen
The Iron Daughter
The Iron Knight all by Julie Kagawa (I haven’t read this series yet, so I’m so ready to start these books that so many people/bloggers have loved.)

I got these two books on NetGalley:

 
Sorcery and Cecilia by Patricia C. Wrede (I read it a long time ago, but definitely need to re-read this one! Thank you Open Road Young Readers)
Anything but Ordinary by Lara Avery (Thank you Disney-Hyperion)

I got this one to review from Disney!

The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan

And I won these pretties in a giveaway. Thank you, Lisa!

Pure
Half-Blood
Daimon  all by Jennifer L. Armentrout (This is another series I’ve been meaning to read! These books sound so good! Plus, they, along with matching bookmarks, are all signed! Again, Lisa, thanks for such an awesome giveaway!)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Words cannot express how much I’ve been anticipating this books’ release. Divergent was one of my top favorite books of 2011. When people ask me what I think about these books, I tell them they are some of the few books I rank up there with the Hunger Games. I’ve met the author, and she is so cool too! And there was probably nothing cooler than listening to Veronica Roth read from the beginning on this one at the RT Booklovers Convention. It seriously made my anticipation that much greater.

And I was not disappointed. It took me a little longer than expected to finish this one. Though this was partly due to my crazy schedule this week. It’s also due to the fact that it’s one of those books I needed to savor. I didn’t want it to be over too soon. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. And even now, after finishing it a day ago (I’m a little behind in my posts this week), I’m still thinking about it.

If anyone thought loyalties were questioned in the first one, wait till you read this one! It begins right after the first one ends.  Tris, Tobias, and company escaped the Duantless traitors and Eurdite soldiers to look for safety with Amity (the peaceful faction). While Amity is all about peace, they make clear right away that there will be strict guidelines for all those staying with them.

At Amity, Tris learns from Tobias’ awful father that there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye. For starters, what was the information the Eurdite were willing to kill a whole faction over? And why were her parents so involved? What did her parents die trying to protect? Unfortunately for Tris, every time she tries to figure this stuff out, Tobias pushes these questions aside. He’s more interested in siding with his mother and the factionless.

Tobias works hard to become a new Dauntless leader and once he does, he works to gain peace with the factionless. His goal is to eradicate Erudite, and punish them for all their wrongdoings. His mother, leader of the factionless, wants to create a new society with no factions. Tris and Tobias’s friends mostly want to punish the Erudite for all the deaths they caused.  And Tris refuses to let go of the information and truth she wants to find out.

There are lots of traitors in this book. There’s also lots of death. It’s hard for the characters to get what they want because they never really seem to stay anywhere too long. Between all the captures, the secret meetings, the running for your life escape moments, constantly being beat up, shot at, argued over, the character never have anything easy.

There’s a lot of arguments between Tobias and Tris. Tobias isn’t too forthcoming about stuff with his mother. And Tris is reluctant to talk about her killing one of her best friends (who was under the mind controlling simulation in book 1). Tris has a lot of problems in this book. She’s dealing with killing a best friend, the loss of both her parents, and then some serious complications with her brother. And her gut keeps telling her to learn what this critical information Eurdite wants to keep hush hush is, something the selfless abnegation wants the world to know.

Tris has become a lot more reckless and Dauntless, throwing herself into dangerous missions without too much thought for her own life. And this causes more problems in the Tobias department. And there is the question of how far each person is willing to go to get what they want.

There’s more simulations, more crazy fight scenes, more divergent mystery, and definitely some more juicy romance! They start rounding up the divergent like cattle a little bit, and the more stuff that happened there, the more I needed to know. Thankfully, a lot gets answers at the end. There is one major cliffhanger of all cliffhangers, but it comes after some serious reveals, so it’s okay.

There were two small things that bothered me. 1) I had no memory of some of the characters. I’m rather good at remembering books despite the quantity that I read each year. And I definitely remember books I love as much as Divergent, but certain characters would die and Tris would be so effected, but I wouldn’t really care because I don’t think they were that important or at least around much since the beginning of book 1. I really think Tris and Tobias are two of my all time favorite YA characters, but there were a lot of characters here who I felt needed a little more development or maybe even just a sentence of a recap/explanation. 2) It did feel like that classic Book 2 filler book. I’m not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing. I just wish a little more was discovered and or handled a little earlier. I feel like the major stuff all happens at the end, and a lot of the rest was kind of filler.

I do love though that I got to see the other factions. The kids went to Amity, Abegnation, Eurdite, and back to Dauntless and I loved being able to see how the other societies lived. My guess is that this will be important for book 3. And I loved getting to know some of the other leaders of the factions. I found them fascinating. I loved hating the bad guy (Jeanine). And I loved how much the people in this book were forced to learn and understand about each other. It had that book 2 filler feel, yet I do see how this will matter later on.

I loved watching Tris grow. She’s had a lot of pain and death to get over, but she does get over it, in her own way. She has really become such a hero, someone willing to die in order for many to live. The decisions she makes in this book are tough. There’s one point where she pretty much has to decide which of her friends she should save, while at least one will have to die. And I feel for Tris so much for having to make such a hard decisions.

I still give this one a 10/10. I was incredibly impressed. Like I said, I savored it. I didn’t want it to end. And I can’t wait for book 3!

The Golden Lily Richelle Mead

This was definitely the coolest ARC I picked up at the RT Booklovers Convention! It comes out June 12^th, so there isn’t too long a wait for this one. I just absolutely love Richelle Mead. And apparently a ton of other people do too because she was one of the few authors requiring wristbands and numbers at the convention. One of the other wristband required authors was Anne Rice.

I bought another copy of Vampire Academy to get her autograph. And she was so nice! I love meeting authors who are so nice because then I feel even more justified in my extra book purchases…Any way, to the book. It’s a sequel to Bloodlines, which itself is a spinoff of the Vampire Academy books. If you haven’t read these books, by all means, go do so. They are in my opinion, the best YA vampire books out there. And I would know because I have read a crazy amount of vampire books.

It starts shortly after the first one finished. Sydney gets called out of town for alchemist business that ends up being all about Keith, the jerk face from book 1 that finally seemed to be punished for his wrongdoings. Apparently, Sydney’s opinion of Keith needs to be taken into light before sending the kid back to a re-education center. And while Sydney hates the boy, she tries to prevent him from being further re-educated because she sees how messed up he is now. So, re-education = brainwashing torture, it seems. Too bad for Keith, her opinion isn’t enough. And a very important lesson is learned. If there is any possible hint that an alchemist has gotten too close to vampires, re-education is necessary.

This becomes more and more of a problem for Sydney, who continues to grow closer with Jill, Adrian, Eddy, Sonya, and Dimitri. The Strigoi blood research is so interesting! There’s a lot of blood experiments. There’s also a lot of dating experiments in this one. Jill has a boyfriend. And Sydney starts dating someone as well. There’s modeling, school dances, gorgeous Halloween costumes, first dates, self defense classes, new characters, and old characters, and even a little bit about witches and their magic (something not in the other series at all)!

Sydney and Sonya get attacked by vampire hunters, who refuse to see that Sonya is not a Stigoi any more. There’s fighting arenas, rescue scenes, awesome cars, magic spells, and oh so much romantic tension with Adrian! I love Sydney’s and Adrian’s friendship. And I loved seeing Adrian fall further and further for her. And while a part of me was on the edge of my seat just waiting for something to happen, another part of me was dreading it because I know what Sydney has grown up believing about vampires. And I know what she would be giving up if she were to do anything with Adrian. Does anything happen with them? You’ll have to read the book to see! I refuse to spoil this.

Can you tell that I loved this one? The only thing I really felt that Bloodlines was missing was romance. And this one was definitely not missing it. There’s plenty of high school romance drama, and that’s on top of all the other action! Also, Sydney has gotten so much tougher and stronger, and I love her so much more! She’s learning to fight iself-defense classes. She’s beginning to trust her instinct and own sense of morality and justice over what everyone tells her should be her sense of morality/justice. And she is just so intelligent!

I love how socially awkward she continues to be. I kept making slight comparisons between her and Brennan in the show Bones –both insanely bright women lacking in social skills. A few new possible storylines were brought to light involving Sydney’s blood. And I hope this gets addressed further in the next one! And then of course there was the humongous cliffhanger at the very end of the book, one that follows a very juicy romance scene!

I don’t really have anything negative to say except that it ended too soon. I could have kept reading this story for a few more hundred pages. I’m hoping to maybe reunite with some more old friends in book 3. I give this one a 10/10. And look forward to any future books by this author!

Books to Mark Your Calendar for: What the Rest of 2012 Brings for YA

So, it’s May already. I have Veronica Roth’s, Cassandra Clare’s, and Kristin Cashore’s newest books coming to me (pre-ordered). I’m reading the ARC for Richelle Mead’s latest YA. Frankly, I don’t think I can be much happier in my reading. However, there’s always so much more to look forward to! And of course while I’m anxiously waiting for some books to come, I can’t help but anxiously await even more books to come.

These are some of the books I’m most excited for that will come out by the end of the year.

 
1) The Diviners by Libba Bray. Publication date: 9/18/12. Description from Goodreads:

“Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."

When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.”

How awesome does this sound? Plus, I have so much respect and love for all that Libba Bray writes, and I cannot wait to read this.

2) Nevermore: The Final Maximum Ride Adventure by James Patterson. Publication date: 8/6/12. Description from Goodreads:

“One last chance...
For Max, Fang, Angel, Iggy, Nudge, and Gazzy.
Before it all ends.

Are you ready for the final chapter? Are you ready for the ultimate flight? Because THIS IS IT. One last incredible, explosive adventure with an astonishing ending that no one could have seen coming.”

So, there hasn’t been a new one in this series since I started my blog just over a year ago. And I’ve reading these books since they started in 2005! Granted, Mr. Patterson writes about a million books a year and has fans for all of his series, but still, this one has been a long time coming. And I am so ready for one crazy, awesome, final showdown! 

 
3) Unwholly (Unwind Trilogy # 2) by Neal Shusterman. Publication date: 8/28/12. Description on Goodreads:

“In a society where unwanted and troublesome teens are salvaged for their body parts, Connor, Risa and Lev continue to fight against the system that would 'unwind' them. Thanks to their high-profile revolt at the Happy Jack Harvest Camp, people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of so-called troublesome teens might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question and a new law passed. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests, not to mention the illegal 'Parts Pirates', that want to see it not only continue, but expand.

Connor, Risa and Lev each struggle to rescue as many AWOL teens as possible and offer them sanctuary. But life at the Graveyard is hard, rivalries bubble under the surface and the cracks are beginning to show.

And then there is Cam, a teen who does not exist. Made entirely out of parts from one hundred other 'unwinds', Cam is a 21st century Frankenstein, a rewound, struggling to find a true identity and meaning, and a place in society. But when a sadistic bounty hunter who takes "trophies" from all the 'unwinds' he captures starts to pursue Connor, Lev and Risa, Cam finds his own fate inextricably bound with theirs…”

So…I had no idea that Unwind, one of the best YA dystopias ever written was going to become a part one in a trilogy until rather recently! I wonder if the author, himself, knew. Book 1 had a good, defined, ending, but I don’t care. If Neal Shusterman wants to continue this awesome story, I am so willing to keep reading!

 
4) Reached by Ally Condie. Publication date: 11/13/12. Description on Goodreads:

“Cassia faces the ultimate choices in the long-anticipated conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Matched Trilogy

After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

In this gripping conclusion to the #1 New York Times bestselling Matched Trilogy, Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without.”

I absolutely love these books. I love this new cover. And I am so excited to see how this all comes to an end. 

5) Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor. Publication date: 11/6/12. Description on Goodreads:

“In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed "Daughter of Smoke and Bone," Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was declared a "must read" by Entertainment Weekly, was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon.com, and The New York Times called it "a breath-catching romantic fantasy."

I was beyond impressed with this first book. It was one of my top favorite books of 2011, and I have a feeling this one might be a top book of 2012. Everything about Karou’s story is just so creative and fascinating. I can’t wait for this!

 
6) For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund. Publication date: 6/12/12. Description on Goodreads:

“Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.”

I love this author. I loved her killer unicorns books. I loved the work she put into Zombies VS. Unicorns. I love Jane Austen. I love Persuasion, which does not have a ton of retellings. What about this book does not sound completely awesome?

 
7) Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier. Publication date: 9/11/12. Description on Goodreads:

“Its name is spoken only in whispers, if the people of Alban dare to speak it at all: Shadowfell. The training ground for rebels seeking to free their land from the grip of the tyrannical king is so shrouded in mystery that most believe it to be a myth.

But for Neryn, Shadowfell's existence is her only hope. She is penniless, orphaned, and utterly alone - and concealing a treacherous magical power that will warrant her immediate enslavement should it be revealed. She finds hope of allies in the Good Folk, fey beings whom she must pretend she cannot see and who taunt her with chatter of prophecies and tests, and in a striking, mysterious stranger, who saves her from certain death but whose motives remain unclear. She knows she should not trust anyone with her plans, but something within her longs to confide in him.

Will Neryn be forced to make the dangerous journey alone? She must reach Shadowfell, not only to avenge her family and salvage her own life, but to rescue Alban itself.”

This author has yet to write anything I have not loved. I loved her adult books! I loved all her YA books. And I’m so excited for a new epic-sounding fantasy from her!

 
8) Rebel Heart (Dust Lands #2) by Moira Young. Publication date: 10/30/12. Description on Goodreads:

“The Tonton have been defeated. Lugh has been rescued. The heartstone has brought Saba and Jack together. Now, Saba and her family head west to meet him and start a new life. All should be well. But shadows of the dead are stalking Saba. And another kind of shadow is creeping over the dustlands. Then a messenger shows up. With news of Jack.”

Blood Red Road was another favorite of mine from 2011, and I am so excited about this sequel! The description is so short, and kind of vague, but that’s okay because nothing is ruined. Really, Saba is just such an amazing main character. I know this has to be good!

 
9) Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter. Publication date: 10/2/12. Description on Goodreads:

“At a camp filled with vampires, werewolves, and fairies, Kylie Galen has always struggled to figure out what she is. Now she finally knows the truth—but she's left with more questions than answers. She doesn’t have a clue what her heritage means or how to harness her newfound powers. All she knows is that she needs to sort out her feelings for Derek, the sexy half-Fae who just confessed his love, and Lucas, her werewolf boyfriend who seems more committed to his pack than to their relationship. All the while, Kylie's dealing with a group of underground rogues who want her dead and a mysterious grandfather who makes it clear he doesn’t trust the FRU . . . or Shadow Falls. Soon Kylie will have to choose: Will she stay with the new family she’s formed at Shadow Falls, or will she leave with her grandfather and embrace her destiny?”

I just reviewed the latest one in this series. And this author is writing them so fast. No complaints from me. Especially considering that it finally seems as though we will be getting some answers in this next installment!

 
10) Outpost  by Ann Aguirre. Publication date: 9/4/12. Description on Goodreads:

“Deuce’s whole world has changed. Now living topside in a community called Salvation, she has a whole new set of problems. Down below, she was considered an adult, and she contributed to the whole. Now, topside, the people of Salvation think she’s a brat in need of training. She hates school, and she doesn’t fit in with the other girls. They’ve spent their lives learning to cook and sew–suitable woman’s work. Deuce only knows how to fight. To make matters worse, Fade keeps her at a distance, and the band of four has broken into fragments.

Stalker presses for a closer relationship, but Deuce sees him as a training partner, and she’s busy trying to find her place in Salvation. She refuses to accept that she’s wrong for being who she is, but tensions rise as she struggles against the status quo. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Once she’s free from school for the year, Deuce pursues a chance to serve in the summer patrols–those responsible for making sure the growers and planters can work the fields without danger of Freak attack. It should have been routine, little fighting, but things have been changing on surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks are smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it will take a girl like Deuce to turn the tide.”

How good does this sound? I loved the first book in this series. And I can’t wait to see more of Deuce kicking some serious zombie butt!