Review – A BEAUTIFUL DARK by Jocelyn Davies

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication:

Expected publication: September 27th 2011

by HarperTeen

ISBN 0061990655 (ISBN13: 9780061990656)

Source: Publisher, for an honest review via NetGalley

Purchase from Amazon here

Goodreads

"On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine."

Drawn in initially by the gorgeous cover image, I had high hopes for A BEAUTIFUL DARK. The promise of a good versus evil type of drama with a world shattering secret was too good to pass up.

Review – JENNY POX by J.L. Bryan

Published

July 24th 2009

by CreateSpace

ISBN 1453728406 (ISBN13: 9781453728406)

primary language English

Series The Paranormals #1

Author website

Purchase from Amazon here

Goodreads
"Jenny has a secret. Her touch spreads a supernatural plague.


She devotes her life to avoiding contact with people, until her senior year of high school, when she meets the one boy she can touch, and she falls in love.

But there's a problem–he's under the spell of his devious girlfriend Ashleigh, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all.


Now Jenny must learn to use the deadly 'Jenny pox' she's fought her entire life to hide, or be destroyed by Ashleigh's ruthless plans."


**Not recommended for readers under sixteen due to mature content.**

J.L. Bryan crafted a horrifying new world that sucked me in from the first page. I loved the idea of a girl with a supernatural plague. I had many ideas about how the story would go, but I was so not ready for where it took me (in a good way).

Waiting on Wednesday – DARK EDEN by Patrick Carman

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

“Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias.

Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares—with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night’s experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains. . . .

What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?”

I cannot begin to tell you how absolutely PUMPED I am for this book! It is right up my alley. The promotion for it is outstanding. I was able to download the DARK EDEN app for my iPhone and it really has me excited for the book’s release on November 1st, 2011. It gives some background on Will, and really helps put his ‘voice’ in perspective. Check this out!

PreOrder from Amazon here

REVIEW – Girl of Fire and Thorns

by Harper Collins, Inc.

Source: Publisher via NetGalley for an honest review

Purchase from Amazon

GoodReads
“Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. 

Elisa is the chosen one. But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess. 

And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.  Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. 

Debut author Rae Carson delivered an delightfully engaging story that held elements of comedy, romance and danger. I had no idea what to expect from this book, but I am so glad I read it! I was completely satisfied, and felt as if I had been on this incredible journey with Elisa.

I would just like to say how absolutely refreshing it was to have a chubby lead character for once! Seriously. I cracked up every time Elisa would stuff a pastry in her mouth (just because she liked it), and especially when someone announced in front of the entire court…”You’re fat”. I just felt that this was a nod to curvacious readers everywhere. We’ve all read books where the female lead is ‘slender and graceful like a ballerina’ or something, but this might have been the first book I’ve read that took this route. Elisa was an emotional eater. She felt like a huge failure at the beginning of the story because she wasn’t living up to everyones standards for her life. The coolest thing about her physical appearance at that time was that as the story progressed and her circumstances changed, so did her body. (That usually happens with exercise, ya know.) As she started focusing on helping other people, Elisa really grew up in a short amount of time and that led to her being able to handle the stress and danger of leadership. It is simply an example of fantastic character development.

I’ve seen people giving the romance aspect some flack. All I’m going to say is that since Elisa never had any attention from the opposite sex, I don’t find it hard to believe that she’d be uninterested in the King until after they were married… The implications are understandable. I felt so bad for her when she discovered that the marriage was a secret (not a spoiler, it says so in the summary). How humiliating! Enter a dark, dangerous, desert-dwelling kidnapper and you’ve got some ingredients for a saucy and believable romance. Things obviously start out very rocky between them, but as the story unfolds it is just so sweet the way the relationship grows. Sometimes all a person needs is one person to believe in them before they can believe in themselves.

Carson’s writing style kept me attentive, even throughout the initial world building stage. There was so much to set up with introducing readers to the world of Orovalle. If you are a fantasy lover this will not bother you. If you aren’t familiar with this genre, just keep in mind that building a complex world takes a little time. The prophecy of the Godstone was intersting, but I wish there had been a bit more magic happening earlier in the story. I loved that Elisa was so devoted to her beliefs, and held onto them during difficult times. 


Even when she found out that things were not exactly as she had been taught, Elisa knew what was real. Speaking of difficult times, when Elisa is kidnapped…HOLY COW! She goes through such a transformation! Things really picked up and pretty much didn’t stop being amazing until the end. I thought GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS could be a standalone novel, but I am really happy that there will more of the story.

Carson composed a smart and dangerous tale that I enjoyed immensely. I was pleasantly surprised by the action. It made for a super interesting read and kept the momentum at a great pace. I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author,  and so should you!

COVER REAL! OBSIDIAN by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release date: 12/06/2011

 Official Blurb: 

“Starting over sucks. 

 When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, outhouses, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring. Until I spotted my hot neighbor with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. 

And then he opened his mouth. 

 Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marked me. 

 You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and the mark he left on me has me lit up like Las Vegas strip to the bad guys. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don’t kill him first, that is.”

Goodreads 

Entangled Publishing 

Amazon Pre-order:  Should be up shortly.

$50 GIFTCARD GIVEAWAY from Crimson Oak Publishing

To help promote Abra Ebner’s new book, LADYBIRD, LADYBIRD, Crimson Oak Publishing is hosting a contest, giving away FIVE (5) $50 American Express giftcards!


All you need to do is sign up at this link, and please please please list The Violet Hour as the referring blogger. Entries will be accepted until Sunday, September 18 at 11:59pm PST.


I am currently working on my review of LADYBIRD, which will be linked to this post just as soon as it’s finished. I’ll go ahead and tell you that I absolutely ADORED this book. Here is the summary from Goodreads, and an amazing trailer!

Goodreads

“Samantha was born on a full moon to a mother already dead.

Revived by doctors and given to her unloving father, Samantha was raised a cursed child, her only friend the ghost of her mother who speaks to her through keys. From the inside out, Sam burned with life, a fire so vivid it kept her peers at a distance, all except one. Leith, a quiet farm boy with a broken heart and demons of his own, enjoys the seclusion his classmates grant him, but the seclusion is all too familiar to Sam.

When their worlds collide… fires burn.”

Review – FORBIDDEN by Ted Dekker, Tosca Lee

Paperback, First, 384 pages
Expected publication: September 13th 2011 by Center Street
Primary language English
Original title Forbidden (The Books of Mortals, #1)
Series The Books of Mortals #1
Ted Dekker's website
Tosca Lee's website
Purchase here

Goodreads
"Fleeing pursuit, with only moments to live, a young man named Rom stumbles into possession of a vial of blood and a cryptic vellum. When consumed, the blood will bring him back to life; revive his emotions; when decoded, the messaged will lead him on a perilous journey that will require him to abandon everything he has ever known and awaken humanity to the transforming power of true life and love. But the blood will also resurrect hatred, ambition, and greed at terrible risk. 


Set in a terrifying, medieval future, where grim pageantry masks death, this tale of passionate love and dark desires from master storytellers Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee peels back the layers of the heart for all who dare take the journey.

FORBIDDEN (The Book of Morals, #1)  is the collaboration of authors Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee. It is no secret that I am a huge Dekker fan, so when presented with the opportunity to review this book, there was no hesitation on my part to accept. There was just something about the entire premise of this new series that just screamed EPIC.