January 31, 2013

January's New Releases

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January 1st




Altered
by
Jennifer Rush






Splintered
by
A.G. Howard






The Essence
by
Kimberly Derting







January 8th




The Death Cure
by
James Dashner







Through the Ever Night
by
Veronica Rossi







Rise
by
Andrea Cremer







Shadowlands
by
Kate Brian







Revolution 19
by
Gregg Rosenblum








January 15th





Gates of Paradise
by
Melissa de la Cruz







Shades of Earth
by
Beth Revis







Vortex
by
Julie Cross







Level 2
by
Lenore Appelhans








January 22nd





Boundless
by
Cynthia Hand








Everbound
by
Brodi Ashton







The Archived
by
Victoria Schwab







Nobody
by
Jennifer Lynn Barnes







Cinders & Sapphires
by
Leila Rasheed







Ravage
by
Jeff Sampson







Crimson Frost
by
Jennifer Estep








January 29th





Prodigy
by
Marie Lu







The Prey
by
Andrew Fukuda







Shadows in the Silence
by
Courtney Allison Moulton







Asunder
by
Jodi Meadows







The Madman's Daughter
by
Megan Shepherd







Othermoon
by
Nina Berry







The Immortal Circus
by
A.R. Kahler









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January 30, 2013

Impatiently Waiting! Mind Games by Kiersten White

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Expected publish date:
February 19, 2013

Publisher's summary: Two sisters, bound by impossible choices, are determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

James's frozen face melts into a smile. "Do you want to know the trick to getting in trouble under the watchful eye of a psychic?"

I think of the nailed-shut windows. I think of Clarice. I think of the two, the two, the two who are now zero. Tap tap. "Yes, I absolutely do."

"Don't plan it. Don't even think about it. The second you get an inkling of what you could do, do it then. Never plan anything ahead of time. Always go on pure instinct."

I smile. "I think I can do that."



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♥♥♥♥♥

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.


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January 25, 2013

Q&A with Brodi Ashton! Everbound Blog Tour Stop AND Giveaway!

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About the author!

BlogTwitterFacebook
Goodreads
Because of two parents who were Greek myth geeks, I grew up thinking the latest fashion trends were inspired by Aphrodite, and a good conversational opener was, “So, which mythological character do you most resemble?” Despite these social shortcomings, I found a great husband who’s always my first reader. We live in Utah with our two young boys, who still have no idea why I'm at the computer all the time.


About the book!


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Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.

AmazonBarnes & NobleThe Book Depository

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Me: In Everbound Nikki is at Harry O’s and on a wooden door there is a carving that says LB+TK+FR = AWESOME TRIFECTA. What does that mean?
Brodi: Haha! I’ve gotten this question so many times. I had no idea it would cause such curiosity. I was just thinking it was graffiti about a threesome. Hmmm. Should I have said that?

Me: Bahahaha! That's so funny! Anyways... I absolutely love how you have thrown in some Greek Mythology into your modern story. What gave you this idea? And what kind of research did you have to do to write your Everneath and Everbound?
Brodi: People assume I’ve done all this research, but the truth is I avoided reading too much about myths while I was writing the books. I never set out to write a literal retelling of anything, and I didn’t want to be constricted by the details. I wanted to see where the story and the characters took me, and then figure out how the mythology fit in.

Me: With that being said, what is your favorite mythological story?
Brodi: Oh man. I’ll be super obvious and go with Persephone.

Me: If you could be any greek god, who would it be and why?
Brodi: Hermes! He gets to be invisible.

Me: I’m native of Utah and I just loved Park City. One of the many things I love about reading your books is because of all of the places that the characters go. For example, you talk about the Fiery Furnace, Deer Valley, The Alpine Slide and Harry O’s. Are there any other places in your books that really exist? And, do you have any pictures of the places I’ve named that you would like to share?
Brodi: This first one is a picture of me and my BFF Emily Wing Smith. We were checking out the inside of Harry O’s for research.



Brodi: Here’s a picture of Flanagan’s, across the street from Harry O’s. I changed the name to Mulligan’s. Or something like that. Gosh, what did I call it?



Me: While writing Everneath, did you already have a plan for how the whole trilogy would end?
Brodi I originally wrote Everneath as a stand alone. When I found my agent, and he suggested that maybe I should make it more than one book, I came up with a story arc that would span three books. Once I hit that point, I knew exactly how it would always end. I like to tell people it will end the only way it can end.

Me: I’ve noticed that Nikki’s character changed tremendously from Everneath and Everbound. How easy or difficult was it for you to write her character from the perspective of someone who just came from the Everneath which robbed her of every single emotion, to now having her emotions returning to her and being overly conscious of every single emotion she feels?
Brodi: Ack! Emotions! The bane of my existence. Emotional scenes are the hardest for me to write, and that made it difficult considering every scene in both books is full of emotions. The first book presented challenges because she was supposed to have no emotions at the beginning, and then gradually she got them back. That was tough to write. The second book, it’s no longer just her involved. She is fighting to save the boy she loves. This changes everything about her, how she acts, the decisions she makes... everything. That was challenging too.

I guess what I’m saying is that writing is always challenging. Why am I doing this?

OK! Now for a quick Q&A to get to know you!

Me: Phobia or fear?
Brodi: Huh? Oh. I thought you were asking me to choose between “phobia” and “fear” and I was all, huh? Okay, phobia: fear of the ocean. Fear of big ships. I’m no fun on cruises.

Me: Favorite Food?
Brodi Hi Chews Candy. Grap.

Me: Guilty pleasure?
Brodi: Scandal (television show)

Me: Facebook or Twitter?
Brodi: Both! For different reasons.

Me: Most visited online website?
Brodi: www.utahrealestate.com

Me: Preferred weapon?
Brodi: Cat O’ nine tails. Just because I like the name.

Me: Top 5 authors that inspire you?
Brodi: Cormac McCarthy, Stephanie Perkins, Laini Taylor, Sara Zarr, Sherman Alexie

Me: Favorite TV show when you were a kid?
Brodi: MASH. Still is.

Me: Thank you so much Brodi for stopping by! It's not a surprise that YOU ROCK! Check out my review of the totally awesome Everbound!

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Tour Stops!

Week One
Jan. 14th - All Things Urban Fantasy - Character Int. (Nikki)
Jan. 15th - Cuddlebuggery - Author Interview
Jan. 16th - Live to Read - Review
Jan. 17th - Tater's Tall Tails - Character Int. (Cole)
Jan. 18th - Fictitious Delicious - Review
Week Two
Jan. 21st - Making the Grade - Review
Jan. 22nd - IB Book Blogging - Review
Jan. 23rd - The YA Sisterhood - Review
Jan. 24th - Book Loving Mom - Review
Jan. 25th - Magical Urban Fantasy Reads - Author Interview

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Brodi Ashton is giving away a signed copy of Everbound and a guitar pick at each blog tour stop! This giveaway is open for US shipping only!

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January 23, 2013

Impatiently Waiting! Invisiblity by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan

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Expected publish date:
May 7, 2013

Goodreads' summary: A magical romance between a boy cursed with invisibility and the one girl who can see him, by New York Times bestselling authors Andrea Cremer and David Levithan.

Stephen is used to invisibility. He was born that way. Invisible. Cursed. Elizabeth sometimes wishes for invisibility. When you’re invisible, no one can hurt you. So when her mother decides to move the family to New York City, Elizabeth is thrilled. It’s easy to blend in there.

Then Stephen and Elizabeth meet. To Stephen’s amazement, she can see him. And to Elizabeth’s amazement, she wants him to be able to see her—all of her. But as the two become closer, an invisible world gets in their way—a world of grudges and misfortunes, spells and curses. And once they’re thrust into this world, Elizabeth and Stephen must decide how deep they’re going to go—because the answer could mean the difference between love and death.

From the critically acclaimed and bestselling authors Andrea Cremer, who wrote the Nigthshade series, and David Levithan, who wrote Every Day and co-wrote Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist with Rachel Cohen and Will Grayson, Will Grayson with John Green, as well as many other novels, comes a remarkable story about the unseen elements of attraction, the mortal risks of making yourself known, and the invisible desires that live within us all.

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♥♥♥♥♥

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.


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January 21, 2013

Cover Reveal of Blurred by Tara Fuller

The Cover!


Expected publish date:
July 2013

Publisher's summary: Cash is haunted by things. Hungry, hollow things. They only leave him alone when Anaya, Heaven’s beautiful reaper, is around. Cash has always been good with girls, but Anaya isn’t like the others. She’s dead. And with his deteriorating health, Cash might soon be as well.

Anaya never breaks the rules, but the night of the fire she recognized part of Cash’s soul—and doomed him to something worse than death. Cash’s soul now resides in an expired body, making him a shadow walker—a rare, coveted being that can walk between worlds. A being creatures of the underworld would do anything to get their hands on.

The lines between life and death are blurring, and Anaya and Cash find themselves falling helplessly over the edge. Trapped in a world where the living don’t belong, can Cash make it out alive?

AmazonB&NBook DepositoryGoodreads

★★★★★★

About the author!

Tara Fuller writes novels. Some about grim reapers. Some about witches. All of course are delightfully full of teen angst and kissing. Tara grew up in a one stop light town in Oklahoma where once upon a time she stayed up with a flash light reading RL Stine novels and only dreamed of becoming a writer. She has a slight obsession with music and a shameless addiction for zombie fiction, Mystery Science Theater, and black and white mochas. Tara no longer lives in a one stop light town. Now she lives with her family in a slightly larger town in North Carolina where they have at least three stoplights.

WebsiteBlogFacebookGoodreads
Kissed by Death Facebook page

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January 20, 2013

Requiem by Lauren Oliver


Publisher’s summary: This exciting finale to Lauren Oliver's New York Times bestselling Delirium trilogy is a riveting blend of nonstop action and forbidden romance in a dystopian United States.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has transformed. The nascent rebellion that was underway in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven. Pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels.

As Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain of the Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena and Hana's points of view. They live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

With lyrical writing, Lauren Oliver seamlessly interweaves the peril that Lena faces with the inner tumult she experiences after the reappearance of her first love, Alex, the boy she thought was dead. Sophisticated and wide-ranging, Requiem brings the Delirium trilogy to a thrilling conclusion.
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My take: What??? That’s it? No more? HEY! Lauren Oliver! Are you REALLY going to leave it there? No FREAKIN’ WAY! Soooooo not cool! I’m not alright with this at all!

Anyways, as for this book! It rocked!!! I literally consumed this book pretty much in just one sitting. And it was phenomenal! Ahem…other than that ending! What the?!?!? I’m going to try really hard to NOT just talk about the ending of Requiem throughout this review…even though that is all I can really think about.

But, before I finish my review, I have to say I’ve noticed that a lot of people are saying they have been not quite happy with this book because of the ending, and I totally understand why. But I think if they did what I did, which was that I put my feelings about the ending aside and instead thought, “If I knew there was going to be another book in this series…what would I think about this one?” And my answer would be, “It’s probably one of the best books I’ve read in a while, and I’m a totally obsessive fan!” No lie! It’s probably my favorite of the three books in the Delirium trilogy.

And the reason is because there were just so many awesome things that happened in this book. This book got my heart seriously pumping with some of the intense moments, it made me shed tears multiple times and, believe it or not, I actually grew to adore Hanna! And from what I hear, if I had read the Hanna Novella before reading Requiem I might not have even liked her! So I hate to say it, but I’m happy I didn’t read it because I really do like her! Overall, my favorite scene in Requiem is an exchange between Alex and Julian!!! It was brilliant! So unbelievably brilliant! Oh, and if you didn’t know, I’m totally Team Alex!

OK…so by now you get the picture…other than that ending, I was super excited and extremely thrilled with this book! There is a lot of action and drama that happens near the end of the book and I loved it…all of it! But it just wasn’t enough. I want more! But I’m going to stop talking before I start revealing some spoilers. Enjoy!

Have you read Requiem yet? If yes, what did you think about that ending? Do you think that Lauren should at least give us a Novella of what happens after the book? If you haven’t read Requiem yet, I’d love it if you would stop by after you’ve read it and tell me your thoughts! OH! And I’m determined to get my hands on the exclusive short story about Alex in the hardcover printing.

Check out the teaser I posted of Requiem HERE!
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Dear followers, fans and peeps! Some of the books I review on Magical Urban Fantasy Reads are provided to me for free by either the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review. Please know that I am in NO WAY compensated for my reviews. All opinions are mine and I am not required to give a positive review in exchange for a free book! But some of the purchase links on my blog are monetized through places like Amazon, Book Depository or Barnes & Noble.