Incarnate, by Jodi Meadows

Series: Newsoul, #1
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Hardcover: 374 pages
Genre: YA - Dystopia
Read it in: 2 days
Source: Library
Challenge: Dystopian
Rating: ★★★★★

New soul
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
No soul
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
Heart
Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Wow. That is the word that still comes to mind when I think about this book.  I finished this book on the 3rd of this month and the power of this book still stays with me. It completely blew me away and makes me want to go back right away and re-read it. I wish I would of been able to read this sooner!

As some of you may know, I'm a sucker for the Dystopian genre. And this Dystopian? Wow! This book was SO unique! I love Dystopians, but if you read a lot of Dystopians you see that some of them may be unique, but also have around the same type of things in them. (If that makes sense!) But I can't think of ANYTHING that is anywhere near this book.

Another thing that I happen to love and be really interested in is reincarnation. Which is also something that really drew me to this book. (Other than that GORGEOUS cover! I mean look at it! Every time I see it I have to stare at it for at least 5 minutes straight.) There is just something about reincarnation that is really interesting. And the people in this book know everything about their past lives! It's SO cool!

One thing bad about them knowing, is that they have all known each other for millions of years so when it comes to a random person popping up with a new and fresh soul, no one really signs up for the welcome committee. Except, for you know, Sam. *swoon* Saaaammmm. Him alone makes me want to grab a copy of this and read it again. He's so sweet and caring and hot and smart and is it getting hot in here?? *Shakes head to clear it.* Anyway, I absolutely LOVED his character. LOVED. I can't wait to see what will happen with him and Ana in the sequel. ( I am dying for the sequel SOOO bad. Anyone have an extra copy they want to send me as a Christmas prezzie? :P)

Although Ana bothered me sometimes, I really liked her character. She kept her guard up when it was needed and she was really smart. She may have been a newsoul and didn't have millions of years of experience, but she was really smart. And even when a lot of the people didn't welcome her with open arms, she still put her life at stake to help protect them when it was needed. She's extremely brave, and I really liked that about her. Plus, she was just fresh. You know what I mean, right?

Also, just to let you know, a lot of characters in YA nowadays are falling in love at first sight, which gets really old. That didn't happen with Sam and Ana. Yes, Sam was friendly toward Ana and they both put their lives at stake to help each other. But their relationship grew and grew after spending time with each other and as they learned more about each other. And their relationship was so pure and beautiful and after a while I was BEGGING for something to happen with them. It drove me CRAZY, but in a good frustrating way.

Overall, this book was amazing. I am definitely getting my own pretty copy soon so I can read it over and over again. It had everything in it that a great, amazing, and just beautiful book needs! Oh, and some dragons and sylphs too! :P  If you haven't read this book, you need to ASAP. And if you don't have it on your TBR list yet, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! :O
                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Author Info: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

The second book in this series is called Asunder. It will be released on January 29, 2013. 

Pretty Crooked, by Elisa Ludwig

Series: Pretty Crooked, #1
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Release Date: March 23, 2012
Hardcover: 368 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary
Read it in: 13 days
Source: Library
Challenge: Debut Author, YA Contemporary
Rating: ★★★★

Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.
Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”-known to everyone as the Glitterati-without them suspecting a thing, is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.
The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her-evening the social playing field between the have and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.
But when the cops start investigating the string of burglaries at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could he wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

When I first read the summary for this 2012 debut, I knew it was going to be an enjoyable read. It's just one of those books you know right of the bat is going to be fun. And it was. It took me a while to read it, nearly two weeks, but that was because I was in a rut. I just didn't want to read at all, but once I did I'd get through some pages pretty fast because it was funny at times and pretty snarky.

Willa was a great character, she lost her way a little bit toward the middle, but fixed it by helping those who didn't have much money. There is your classic mean girls in this book, the "Glitterati", they make it hell for those who are on scholarships and don't have the means to dress up to their standards. Willa thought there was something that needed to be done about that. So she turns into a modern day Robin Hood.

With the help of a new friend, she learns how to pick pocket and break into lockers and cars and eventually houses and steal things from those who have enough money to buy a million more of the things she stole. When she was on a "job" it really made my heart beat. My heart was pounding so hard thinking she was about to get caught. And then I'd exhale my held breath in relief.

Other than Willa, my other favorite characters were Cherise, Tre, and Aidan. Especially Aidan, he was so funny and all of his scenes made me smile. He's pretty different than the other rich kids. I can't decide who I want Willa to be with, though. I really like Aidan and she does too, but theres parts of me that see Tre and I'm like, "Noo Willa!". Maybe we'll see in the next book what will happen.

Overall, this is just an overall enjoyable book. The writing flowed well and I'd fly through pages when I was reading. This is definitely a debut to read this year! And a new author to add to my watch list. If you like Robin Hood and fashion, you should definitely give this book a try!
                                                                                                                                    
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

The sequel, Pretty Sly, will be released on March 12th, 2013. 

Waiting on Wednesday, #45

Waiting on Wednsday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights upcoming releases that you are dying to read and can't wait to get your hands on! 

Just For Fins, by Tera Lynn Childs
(Fins, #3)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Pre-Order: Amazon

When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mermaid kingdom Thalassinia, she knew she couldn’t just coast along in the current. But since she’s spent the last couple of years on land—with gorgeous human Quince by her side—Lily’s not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom. Even her maddeningly pretentious cousin Dosinia seems to know more about ruling than she does.
But Lily has to dive in deep to keep her promise to Tellin, her mer bond in name only, whose kingdom is suffering in the changing ocean climate. Lily knows this is a seven seas–sized problem: from sea animals dying to oil spills and threats to humans. They’ll need to create some serious waves to make the mer community aware and get it to join together to make things right. Even if that means facing one of the iciest queens in the mer kingdoms.
Just when Lily thinks her double life on land and sea can’t get any more complicated, an ancient mer law might separate Lily and Quince after all. It feels as if the pair is up against a solid tsunami wave!
In this third installment in the series that began with Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever, Lily will have to find a way to balance safety and justice for the mer people as well as for the humans she loves.

Why do I Want It? Seriously? Do I need to go into detail? It's Tera Lynn Childs. It's another Fins book. I freaking LOVE this series! It's such a cute, fun series. I'm pretty sure this is the last book, though I really hope it's not. =( I looove it!

Fins Are Forever, by Tera Lynn Childs

Fins Are Forever, by Tera Lynn Childs
(Fins, #2)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: June 28, 2011
Hardcover: 262 pages
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Buy: Amazon
Read it in: 1 day
Source: Library
Challenge: TBR Pile
Rating: 
To learn more about my rating badges, click here!

On Lily Sanderson’s eighteenth birthday she’ll become just a girl—still a mergirl, true, but signing the renunciation will ink Princess Waterlily of Thalassinia out of existence. That leaves plain old Lily living on land, dating the boy she loves, and trying to master this being-human thing once and for all. 
Now that Lily and Quince are together, mer bond or not, she’s almost content to give up her place in the royal succession of Thalassinia. But just when she thinks she has everything figured out, the waves start to get rough. Lily’s father sends a certain whirlpool-stirring cousin to stay with her on land. What did Doe do to get herself exiled from Thalassinia and stuck in terraped form, when everyone knows how much she hates humans? And why why why is she batting her eyelashes at Lily’s former crush, Brody? 
The seafoam on the raging surf comes when a merboy from Lily’s past shows up—Tellin asks Lily for something that clouds her view of the horizon. There’s a future with Quince on land, her loyalty to the kingdom in the sea, and Lily tossing on the waves in the middle. Will she find a way to reconcile her love, her duty, and her own dreams?

Why did I wait so long to read this? I should of snagged this the day it came out and read it! I love this series, definitely my favorite series for mermaids. I love mermaids! I really need to start on some other mermaid books I've been looking forward to.

This sequel starts back a couple of weeks after the first one ended. Which I'm happy about, I hate when books have months or years in between their books. (Unless it's HP!) It made me remember what exactly happened at the end of the first book and I dove right in and fell in love all over again!

I'm happy with the amount of Quince in this book. I love him! Dosinia is also back in the sequel, at first I was very annoyed by her but I think she's starting to grow on me. I love Lily, Shannen and Aunt Rachel. Her Aunt Rachel reminds me of my great-aunt a bit, and it makes me smile. Shannen isn't seen much, but she's a great friend. Brody was in the sequel a lot too and it's very surprising who he begins a relationship with! I'm not going to go into much detail because I don't want to spoil it!

There is a new guy in the series now and I'm not sure if I like him or not. It all depends on how he's acting in the scene. Sometimes I think he's okay and other times I'm like, "Just go away!" I love when a book gets those reactions out of me.

Overall, this book was great. The ending is STILL driving me crazy though because I don't have book three. I can't wait for it to come out. I need it NOW! If you haven't read this series yet, do it. It's a great, fun, quick read. And it has mermaids!

The third book in the series is called Just For Fins. It will be released on July 3rd, 2012. Click here to read my review of the first book, Forgive My Fins. 

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Series: Fins, book #1
Next book in series: Fins Are Forever
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: June 1, 2010
Hardcover: 304 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult
Buy: Amazon
Add to Goodreads
Source: Library
Challenge: Support Your Local Library
Overall: 5/5

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

First Paragraph: Water calms me. It's like chocolate or hot tea or dulce de leche ice cream. After a rotten day, I lock the bathroom door, fill Aunt Rachel's old-timey tub with steaming water and bath salts, and then sink into a world where my problems melt away.

This was such a cute, fast read! I didn't want to put it down! After finishing XVI I needed a non-serious book to read, and this was perfect! I hate that I waited so long to read this, but at the same time it was the perfect time to read it. 

Definitely a summer read. 

This is my first Tera Lynn Child's book, but if I'm correct I think all of her books might be on my to-read list. I will definitely be checking those out soon. The writing flowed well and I read through it pretty quickly. 

I love that Lily already knew she was a mermaid. A lot of books nowadays have protagonists that have to find out who they are, which there is nothing wrong with them but this was just unique and fresh. Lily was a great protagonist, you would think she'd be stuck up and everything being royalty, but that wasn't the case with her. She had just as many problems as the regular human kids: insecurity, frizzy hair, swooning over a guy that is out of your lead, and much more. 

I didn't like Brody very much, I don't see how she had a crush on him. But Quincy on the other hand? He's a keeper!

The book is a little predictable at times, but doesn't really take away from the story. And on another note, that has nothing to do with the story, I love the wave design at the beginning of each chapter.

Overall, it was a great book to read. I am looking forward to reading the second book, Fins Are Forever! Which, by the way, was released on June 28th! I'm going crazy knowing it's published and not being able to get it yet. 

 Cover: Is absolutely gorgeous! Love the colors. And love the make-up! Very mermaid-ish.

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton


Series: Angelfire, book #1
Next book in series: Wings of the Wicked
Publisher: Harperteen/Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: February 15, 2011
Hardcover: 464 pages
Age Group: Young Adult
Buy: Amazon
Add to Goodreads
Source: Harpercollins @ Netgalley
Challenge: Debut Author, A-Z Reading, Support Your Local Library, 350 Page Book
Overall: 5/5

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul. A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once. While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul eaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

First Paragraph: I stared out the classroom window and longed for freedom, wanting to be anywhere in theworld other than gaping up at my economics teacher like the rest of my classmates. The last time I had listened to him, Mr. Meyer had been lecturing about fiscal policy, and that was when he'd lost me. My eyes rolled over to my best friend, Kate Green, who was doodling intricate flowers all over her notes and looked like she was thoroughly entertaining herself. Meanwhile, I was reduced to staring at the wiry, gray chest hair puffing out at the collar of Mr. Meyer's polo shirt like overgrown steel wool and wondering whether he'd ever considered waxing.

Angelfire was just wow. It was very unique and completely different from most young adult books. I mean, Angels have been making it's way to the top lately in the young adult publishing industry, but this is more than just angels! There are grim reapers! And not your typical creepy guy in a black hooded cloak with a scythe. Moulton completely created her own version of the grim reapers, making them all types of creepy creatures that go bump in the night.


She kept Ellie's world much like our own, but added a world that co-existed with the world called the Grim. Humans (Unless they were special psychics, or Ellie.) couldn't see the Grim or any of Grim's creatures.  


And speaking of those Grim creatures, there are some awesome fight scenes in this book. Moulton really knows how to write a kick-ass fight scene! Plus, her description is just amazing anyway. 


I had a few issues reading this book, but it isn't Moulton's fault. It's just because I read this on Netgalley and I'm still not entirely use to reading books on the computer. I like having an actual copy in my hands. I can enjoy them a lot more and I know I would have been in love with this book more than I already am if I had read it through a physical copy. This is my second-ever book that I've read on the computer.  


I have a love/hate relationship with Ellie's character. She's awesome and kick-ass, but at the same time she's annoying. The bad thing is, I can't really explain the full reason of why she's annoying. I guess you'd have to read it for yourself and see if you find her annoying as well. It didn't take away from the fact, though, that she's a pretty strong character and seemed real to me. I really felt bad for her about her bad luck with her car and then her dad issues. He was a real jerk! 


I also really, really, really loved Will! (How can you not? Seriously?) The only thing that bugged me was that he'd do completely ANYTHING for Ellie. I mean, yeah, I like guys who car enough about the girl they love that they'd do anything for them. But there is a line you have to draw somewhere. When he said some of the things he did, he just sounded downright pitiful and unbelievable. But other than those little moments, I loved him. If there was a way to ever see him, I'd so run up to him and give him a hug. Then I'd go cuddle with my husband, ha ha. 


I also really liked what Moulton did with the romance in this book. :) You can see the attraction and love Ellie and Will have for each other, but they don't really do anything about it for a long, long time. :) Which really bugged me while reading it because I really wanted them to get together and the moments where it looked like they were, and didn't, it drove me NUTS! But it bugged me/drove me nuts in a good way. 


This kind of reminded me a little of the anime show Blood Plus. Don't ask me how, it just did. For some strange reason. It's nothing really alike. But I love Blood Plus, so it's cool. :) 


I guess you would just have to watch the show to maybe kind of understand. I don't know. 


But overall, this was a great debut book! Major brownie points for Moulton! This was a great start to a new series and I can't wait until the sequel comes out! I'll be eagerly counting down the days to the release date. Which at the moment all I know of the release date is that it will be published in 2012. Boo!


I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a great debut with a unique story of angels and grim reapers. :)


Cover: I really like the cover. The model on the front fits Ellie's description perfectly and I love her outfit! The mist and the black birds in the background just makes the cover looks so...paranormal! The jacket art and design is by Joel Tippie and the jacket photograph is by Amber Gray.