Tempest by Julie Cross

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Tempest
by Julie Cross

Pages: 432
Release Date: January 5th 2012
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.
That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.
Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.
But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveller. Recruit… or kill him.
Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

My Thoughts
BAAAM! We’re talking time travel here. Not the easiest idea to write about and make sure the readers understand where you’re coming from. Yet, Julie Cross has aced it completely. Tempest is a very enjoyable read. It not amazing but it sure has me craving for more.
Jackson can time travel. It’s totally different to our judgement of time travel and pretty cool. We’ll it would be wouldn’t it... time travel people! So then Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, go through a really bad experience with some bad people. Jackson doesn’t have a clue in what to do and just runs away or rather runs back... back in time. This time however, he can’t get back.

Both Holly and Jackson are amazing characters. They make the book interesting- especially whenever they’re around each other. Talking of interesting, Adam is sure that too! He’s Jackson’s best friend and my favourite character out of the entire book! A cute science geek that’s extremely intelligent, how could I resist? You’d think I’d love the moments between Holly and Jackson the most but noooo. It has to be whenever Jackson’s sister, Courtney was in the picture. It is seriously cute and real and heartfelt.

The action was okay. There was excitement and the feeling of what on earth is going to happen next, but sometimes it just didn’t click. Tempest was however, very very very cool to read.

And now, I have come to a conclusion...
1. Time travel is so underrated
2. Julie Cross rocks my socks
3. I want the movie! And I want it now! :D

Blog Tour: Cynthia Hand dishes her thoughts on Angels!

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Unearthly
by Cynthia Hand

Pages: 403
Release Date: January 2nd 2012
Publisher:  Egmont Books
Buy the Book: Amazon


For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.
Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.
--

As part of the Hallowed blog tour, the lovely Cynthia Hand has written an exciting post on Angels. What's fun and what's hard about writing about them. Hmmm, Lets find out shall we?


The Angel Angle:
What’s fun and what’s hard about writing about angels

I started writing about angels by accident. When the idea of Unearthly first came to me, I knew that Clara was special in some way, that she had powers and abilities beyond that of a regular human being. But I didn’t know what she was, exactly. None of the run-of-the-mill paranormal creatures seemed to fit.

She definitely wasn’t a vampire, or a werewolf, or a fairy, I knew that. I wanted her to feel like a normal teenager, with a tiny element of the extraordinary. It was a real dilemma, trying to figure Clara out, until from some distant corner of my brain, I remembered a passage in the Bible I once read about the “sons of God” and the “daughters of man”: the Nephilim, the offspring of angels and men. This was perfect, I realised immediately. It meant that Clara wasn’t a supernatural creature so much as she was a human with a touch of the divine thrown in. I also loved the way that the angel angle learnt a whole new layer of moral and spiritual questions that Clara would be forced to deal with. The idea of destiny is hard enough, but the idea of destiny when you find out that you’re part angel? Brutal.

That’s what we call a goldmine, fiction-wise.

Here’s what else is fun about writing about angels:

• There’s a wellspring of rich, textured mythology that a writer can draw from, not only in the Christian religion, but in many other religions, far and wide. I do loads of research for every book I write, which is huge fun; I dig research. For Unearthly I did a lot of investigation into the idea of the Nephilim, taking the elements of that mythology that I liked and making up the rest. In Hallowed I went more in depth into specific characters, and researched the characters of Semyaza (Samjeeza) and Michael in angel mythology, in particular. There’s so much good stuff out there to work with, and I ended up using only the smallest tip of the massive iceberg of angel mythology, but as a writer it’s awesome to have so much to draw on.
• Angels are beautiful. When you write about angels you get to write about wings and flying off into the wild blue yonder, seeing the world from above. I’ve always loved the idea of flight, so this was great for me. Angel mythology also deals with the contrast of light and dark, the halo around the angel’s head-- comae celestis, as Angela calls it (a Latin phrase I mangled to make suit my purposes), the idea of glory, flaming swords and arrows, all good stuff as far as imagery goes.

• There’s a sense of redemption and hope that’s implied in angel mythology, of falling from grace and being redeemed. I love this dynamic. The stakes are naturally higher in fiction about angels, since it is not only the body at stake, but the soul. The problems that Clara faces always operate on two separate but intertwined levels for me: the surface problem, i.e., someone I love is going to die and that is going to suck, a lot, and the spiritual problem-- is it my fault that this person is going to die? Am I being punished? Can I fix it? Stop it? Am I supposed to accept my fate or fight it? All good questions that lead to good storytelling.

But writing about angels also has its pitfalls. Sometimes I feel like I am a tightrope walker when I write, struggling to balance as I slowly and carefully follow the line of my story across a high wire. Here’s what’s hard about it:

•People will think it’s too religious. It’s very difficult to extract angels from the idea of God. I didn’t try to do that; I wanted Clara to live in a world where there is a definitive God, but I also wanted my story to be friendly to people who didn’t believe in God or people who believed in vastly different things than I do. I am not a preacher, and I don’t have any kind of religious agenda underneath my writing, but because of the subject matter there are always going to be people who think I am trying to influence them, religiously speaking, and who are going to resist my story because of that.

•People will think it’s not religious enough. I’ve found that there are actually more people who are offended that Clara doesn’t go to a specific church than there are people who are offended that Clara believes in God. To which I can only say, I didn’t want Clara to ascribe to a particular religion because I wanted the book to be friendly to people of all religions (see what I said above about not being a preacher), and because I wanted the spiritual questions of the book to operate under the surface, not on the surface. If you’re religious I think my books can work on a different, metaphorical level, but I don’t want to shove the reader’s face in it.

•People will think your characters should be perfect. This is similar to what I wrote about above, but it works in a different way. There’s an argument that’s made that if Clara is part-angel and therefore a representative of the divine, she shouldn’t make mistakes. She shouldn’t act selfishly or complain too much or consider doing things that a fine upstanding angelic being shouldn’t do. But this would make for very dull fiction, in my opinion. Characters need flaws, and those flaws, those conscientious mistakes, are what produce the kind of conflict that drives a good story. I don’t want Clara to be a representative of the divine. I want her to be a realistic, flawed-but-growing person. I want her to be wrestling with the idea of the divine inside of her. I want her to make mistakes, sometimes huge mistakes, that have both real and metaphorical consequences.

Sigh. Sometimes I think it would have been easier to write about vampires.

But that brings me back to one of the best things about writing about angels, which is that it’s a thought-
provoking subject. It’s something people can interpret a bunch of different ways, and argue about, and feel passionate about, and have complicated reactions to, based on their individual notions of
spirituality and history.

Which. I happen to think, is the best kind of subject matter there is.

--
An amazing post right? A great insight into the mind of Cynthia! A great big thank you to Cynthia for this post...
Let us know your thoughts!

Fated by Sarah Alderson

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Fated
by Sarah Alderson

Pages: 320
Release Date: January 5th 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
Source: For Review from Publishers
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it?
When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.
But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.
If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?
Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Read FATED!

1. It's by Sarah Alderson Guys! Come on!
I was instantly WOWed by her debut novel Hunting Lila not only that but Fated definitely went on my hit list too. You have just gotta love her writing. It's so believable and amazing.

2. LUUUUCCCCAAAASSSS :D
The main hottie! Ahhhhh he's so hot. Seriously, I love reading about him. He's one of the main reasons I carried on reading. Evie is a lucky girl! Though, I'm more head over heels on Alex from Hunting Lila. So that shows you should so so read Hunting Lila too. OK!

3. A hot hot hot romance.
Lucas and Evie! You can see the chemistry. It is going and going. Evie is one lucky girl and a hell of a protagonist too. Ohh, Can't miss a good romance can you now?

4. Shapeshifters. Demons. Vampires. Do I need to say any more?
Talk about a whole lot of paranormalcy! And when there's paranormals there's always some kick ass. You got it! Action that reaches you to the very core. So exhilarating and especially when there's some Lucas involved. *sigh*

5. The whole 'I love you but I have to kill you' idea!
This never gets old does it! Like come on, just sitting there and reading and seeing how everything would progress. Do they kill each other? What happens! The uncertainty kills you. I was most definitely on my toes with Fated you never knew what was going to happen.

Character Interview: Fated by Sarah Alderson

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Fated
by Sarah Alderson


What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it? When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends. If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?
--


Evie, how does it feel being a kick ass demon hunter?
Let's see - high odds of being eviscerated, drained, burnt, clawed or sliced to death, no boyfriends, no future, no choice whatsoever, limited travel opportunities unless I want to travel to other realms and no job benefits other than an endless supply of bullets. How do you think it feels?

But to answer your question, I'd rather be a kick ass one than a lame one.

Lucas, let's just say that you weren't a half human, half shadow warrior that worked for the Brotherhood. What do you believe you would have been working as instead?
I'd be working with horses, probably on a ranch somewhere.

What do you both like the best in each other?
L:  Like you said, she's kick ass. Like no other.
E: He has so much belief - in the choices he makes, in me, in us. He never chooses the easy way, always the right way.

Spill the beans, Lucas! How many girlfriends have you had?
A few. Nothing long-term so strictly speaking I'm not sure they count as girlfriends. I moved around a lot when I was growing up and was training too hard to think about girls. Before Evie and just before I joined the Brotherhood I dated a friend of my sister's, back in LA. It was short lived, seeing how she was a Sybll and could see everything coming. Including me breaking up with her.

How does it feeling knowing your lives won't be the same as before?
L: Sometimes you have to choose the path that isn't the easiest but you know is the right one to take. And right here, by Evie's side is where I'm meant to be. I was always going to die - being in the Brotherhood you get used to that fact pretty fast, but at least now I know exactly what I'm dying for. Is it worth it? Yes. It will end this war.

E: It took a while to get over that - to come to terms with being a Hunter and then with what Lucas did. Now we're committed to this ..thing - but finally I feel like I get to choose and that I can actually make a difference. And he's here - Lucas is with me. It makes it easier.

Let's go behind the scenes! What do you think Sarah has in store for both of you?
Knowing Sarah I'd say it's a safe bet that we'll be encountering a lot more unhumans in the near future and we'll be kicking their asses. I hear tell that there's a whole new host of characters headed our way - both good and bad - as well as some favourite old ones (the few that are still alive) showing up to make trouble. There's even rumours of rogue Hunters who may be able to help us, if only we can find them. Also, Lucas should be prepared to reconnect with family. But we're also guessing that this path we're on isn't going to run too straight - we might need to prepare our goodbyes.

--
Hmmm. It sure ends in an ominous note. I don't want to see any characters leave! Okay so you guys have to read Fated, now right?  My review will be posted very soon so make sure you look out for it! Also, a big big thank you to Sarah for stopping by!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

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The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
by Jennifer E. Smith

Pages: 240
Release Date: January 5th 2012
Publisher: Headline
Source: For Review from Publishers
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?
Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.
Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.
My Thoughts
You know that gut wrenching feeling you get when there's such an amazing meal right in front of you, that looks so delicious, so appealing and smells so uplifting that you can't possibly wait to get into it? All you want to do is pick each bite as slowly as possible savouring the taste and simply willing it to last forever though at the very same time you can not wait to finish it entirely so that you can sit there in complete satisfaction and let your thoughts revolve around just how GOOD really it was.

You got it! This is exactly like what I got before I read TSPLFS, as I was reading TSPLFS and after I read TSPLFS. Doesn't this just show my complete adoration and affection for this completely awesome, awesome book? I didn't believe I would love this book so much.

It's a completely normal story. Nothing special but the way it was written was oh so very special. We meet Hadley and Oliver, two people that meet at a airport and spill their worries of their life and talk about everything. In this 24 hour journey we get to see how everything is not about love at sight, how fast relationships can progress and how much we crave for everything to go to our liking.

Hadley has a great personality. She’s a fun character but let’s forget about her and move on to... how I love Oliver! He's just so real you know. No perfect smoochness. With problems of his own, insecurity, he has genuine and real feelings. Don’t see that much often in YA now do we? OMG. He’s British too. SWOON. I wanted so much more of Oliver. More of Hadley. More of Hadley and Oliver together! Though TSPLFS was just so freckin short. I’m talking about 240 pages dude :O

What else is there to say than just go buy the book. Really, experience it all for your self. Oh and one more thing... I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK. In case you didn't know already :D

Angel by L.A Weatherly

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Angel
by L.A Weatherly

Pages: 506
Release Date: October 1st 2010
Publisher: Usborne Publishing
Source: For Review from Publishers
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

Angels are all around us: beautiful, awe-inspiring, irresistible.
Ordinary mortals yearn to catch a glimpse of one of these stunning beings and thousands flock to The Church of Angels to feel their healing touch.
But what if their potent magnetism isn't what it seems?
Willow knows she's different from other girls. And not just because she loves tinkering around with cars.
Willow has a gift. She can look into people's futures, know their dreams, their hopes and their regrets, just by touching them. But she has no idea where she gets this power from.
Until she meets Alex…
Alex is one of the few who know the truth about angels. He knows Willow's secret and is on a mission to stop her.
The dark forces within Willow make her dangerous – and irresistible.
In spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.

My Thoughts
Angel is an awesome book! Seriously. I didn't think that I'll like it much so you can tell I sure was surprised. It was everything I could of asked for in a YA book! Kick ass action not forgetting a hot romance that can't be missed with a forbidden edge.

In Angel, angels are not what we really think they are. Here, they're the bad guys! Seriously. However, Williow is part angel and so she's got some powers within her. Something that can prove to be dangerous and so attracting others. In other words, ALEX! And so the fun begins...

The main reason I was uncertain with Angel was the whole idea with angel's not actually being good. It was quite confusing at the start. I didn't really get everything but eventually it picked up so I enjoyed reading it. It was really different and gave a whole new edge to the book.

With Williow, you can tell she's totally different from everyone else. I enjoyed reading about her but not as much as I enjoyed reading about Alex. Brooding Alex. Hmmmm. He made the story so much lively. And I always love a good romance and we definitely get some of that here. Their conflicting relationship proves to be even better. Very exciting!

The action is also exciting and enthralling. I hate the bad guys. Well, that's bound to happen. Duh. Hats off to Weatherly she surely has me greatly anticipating the sequel. Angel Fire!

In My Mailbox (36)

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In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's a great way to showcase the books you've gotten over the week, whether they are bought, borrowed or free.
--
I haven't done a IMM for quite a while, so there will be a quite a few books seeing as they're books for an entire month. Anyways, here's what I received!


Review
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Raising Demons by Rachel Hawkins
The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Caroyln Mackler
Dearly Departed by Lia Habel
Tempest by Julie Cross (ARC)
This is not forgiveness by Celia Rees (ARC)
Wonder by R.J Palacio (ARC)
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin (ARC)
Crossed by Ally Condie
Falling Fast by Sophie McKenzie
Oliver Twisted by J D Sharpe
Angel Fire by L.A Weatherly

What did you get in your mailbox?

Blog Tour: The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler exclusive content!

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The Future of Us
by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Pages: 356
Release Date: January 5th 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

It's 1996 and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet. Facebook will not be invented for several more years. Emma just got a computer and an America Online CD-ROM with 100 free hours. When she and her best friend Josh log on to AOL they discover themselves on Facebook... fifteen years in the future. Everybody wonders what life has in store for them.
Josh and Emma are about to find out.

--
Chapter 5
Emma

“HEY,” JOSH SAYS, pushing open my door. I look up from my bed. He’s standing at the edge of my room, holding the spare key we hide under a rock by the garage. It has a Scooby-Doo keychain that lights up when you press the nose.

“Sorry I took so long. My parents made me load the dishwasher.” Josh pushes his hands into his pockets. “So what’s going on? You found something bad?”

I’m worried if I open my mouth I’ll start crying again. As it is, Josh already looks uncomfortable being up here. It’s kind of sad, because we always used to be there for each other. He went on so many bike rides with me when my parents were splitting up. That was back in fifth grade. When Josh broke his leg skating, I hung out in his back-yard even though everyone we knew was swimming at Crown Lake. Josh sat with me at my mom’s wedding last September, pinching my arm every time I succumbed to inappropriate giggles. And here he is again, yet things feel like they’ll never be as easy between us as they once were.

“I was able to get back to that website,” I say, wiping my eyes. “Only it was different.”I catch Josh glancing at the wilted roses on my dresser. Graham gave them to me before prom, when we were taking photos in my yard. I make a mental note to chuck them as soon as Josh leaves.

“It still says Emma Nelson Jones went to Lake Forest High,” I say, “and it’s still says ‘Facebook’ at the top. No matter where you click, it always says that.”

“Do you think Facebook is the name of her company?” Josh asks.

Maybe.” But that’s not the point. The point is what the website says about her. Thinking about it makes my
chest hurt.

“Emma, you still don’t know what this thing is, or whether it’s even real,” Josh says. “Somebody’s probably just screwing with—”

“No, they’re not!” I sit up and touch the necklace resting against my collarbone. “Emma Nelson Jones was wearing this necklace in her photo.”

Josh looks at the gold chain I always wear, with the del-icate E pendant dangling from it. “The woman’s name is Emma,” he says. “What other letter would she put on her necklace?”

“And she said it’s Thursday, May nineteenth.”

Josh’s forehead wrinkles in confusion.

“Today is Sunday, May nineteenth,” I say. “That means she’s writing all this from another year where May nine-teenth is a Thursday.”

Josh shakes his head. “If someone is trying to prank you, they would’ve thought of all that.”

“But everything was different! When I checked just now, it was a brand new picture of Emma. And there were different people saying things to her. You think all that could change with one corrupted CD-ROM? Don’t you get it? This thing . . . Facebook, or whatever it’s called . . . it’s from the future.”

Josh sets the key chain on my desk and sits down. When he jiggles the mouse, the brick wall disappears and everything’s right where I left it, with Emma Nelson Jones writing about macaroni and cheese.

“Why does it say she has three hundred and twenty friends?” Josh asks. “Who has that many friends?”

“Scroll down,” I say, peering over his shoulder.

Emma Nelson Jones You know why I need comfort food? JJJ hasn’t come home for three nights. His trip was only supposed to last one day. I feel hopeless.
12 minutes ago · Like

Josh looks up at me. “Who’s JJJ?”

“My husband. Jordan Jones Junior. The guy with the fish. I never say why he hasn’t come home, but obviously I’m suspicious. When I saw that, it made me sick.”

Josh rubs his forehead with the tips of his fingers. “Maybe he went on another fishing trip.”

“keep reading,” I say, reaching past Josh for the mouse.

Emma Nelson Jones
Hit my sixth month of unemployment. They say it’s the economy, but I’m starting to believe it’s me. Thirty-one is too young to have a failed career.
Tuesday at 9:21am · Like · Comment

“Thirty-one,” Josh says. “So this is supposed to be fifteen years from now.”
I point to the next sentence.

Emma Nelson Jones
Can’t even afford a decent therapist.
Monday at 8:37pm · Like · Comment

Josh turns to me. “I can’t believe she’s writing these things.”

“Not she,” I say. “Me.”

“Why would anyone say this stuff about themselves on the Internet? It’s crazy!”

“Exactly,” I say. “I’m going to be mentally ill in fifteen years, and that’s why my husband doesn’t want to be
around me.”

Josh leans back in the chair and crosses his arms against his chest. When he does that, he looks like his brother. I haven’t seen David since last year, but he was always a fun person to have in the neighbourhood. Guys wanted him to be their older brother, and girls had a crush on him.

“Listen, Emma. I think . . .” Josh says, but then he pauses.

“Just say it.”

Josh points toward the screen. “We don’t know for sure who Emma Nelson Jones is or what we’re looking at. But even if it’s real, you’re still reading a lot between the lines.”

The front door closes. Josh and I jump back from the computer.

“Emma?” my mom calls. “Marty says he locked the door when we left, but—”

“It’s okay,” I shout. “Josh is here, that’s all.”

“Are you ready to help us get email addresses?” she asks.

“Can we have another minute? Josh is helping me find something . . . an assignment.”

“That’s fine,” my mom says. I hear her footsteps climbing the stairs. “But you need to finish up soon. It’s a school night.”

She cannot see this. I reach over and click the X on the top right corner of the screen. The cheerful voice chimes, “Goodbye!” My mom walks by, waving as she continues on to her bedroom. Josh picks up the Scooby-Doo key chain. He stops in the doorway and looks back at me.

“What is it?” I ask.

“I don’t think you should look at this thing alone,” he says. “It’s either a mean prank or it’s . . .”

I feel the tears coming on again.

“Let’s make a deal to only look at it together,” he says.

“So you’ll come over again?” I ask. “You don’t mind?”

Josh stares at the key chain in his hand, pressing the Scooby nose on and off. “No, it’s cool.”

“How about tomorrow? After track.”

“That’s fine,” Josh says. “Maybe Tyson and I will even stop by the meet.”

I smile for the first time all evening. Last year, Josh used to come to all my home meets just to wave and cheer me on. It makes me want to be honest and tell him what else I saw on the website, before he came over. But I can’t bring myself to say it. I look down at my new white carpet. What I saw would make things even more awkward between us. And for one night, I want to feel like things can be normal again.

“What is it?” Josh asks.

I’ll have to tell him eventually. “Tomorrow,” I say, “we should see if you have one of those web pages, too.”
--

I haven't read The Future of Us! Though, after reading this extract I sure want to. What do you think? Oh and don't forget to stop by The Story Siren on the 8th January for the next part of the blog tour!

Cover Alert: Insurgent by Veronica Roth!

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Guys! The INSURGENT cover! *happy dance*
I love both the US covers for Divergent and Insurgent so I was really excited to discover how the UK ones will look!


As soon as I saw the cover, I instantly thought ' The US cover is waaaaaay better' because it is. That's what I think anyways. Not that I don't like this one. I DO! It's really pretty. Especiallyy with all the purple, and I believe that's Tris but anyhow I lover her stance. And look at those burnt leaves, how pretty! Divergent and Insurgent look alike too.

What do you think?

New books released this January

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A new month brings new books!
Now in this new year of January 2012, many thrilling books have been released, sitting in the bookstores waiting for people like you and me to pick up and indulge!
Here they are...
(All titles linked to Goodreads)

January 2nd
 Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

January 5th 2012


Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Tempest by Julie Cross
Fracture by Megan Miranda

 Stolen Away by Alexandra Harvey
 The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan

Crossing Over by Anna Kendall
 The Future of Us by Jay Asher
 Fated by Sarah Alderson

  Night School by C J Daugherty
 A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton
Blink and Caution by Tim Wyne Jones

What books do you want to read or need to read?
(NOTE: These are UK releases!)

My Blogging Goals for 2012!

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Happy New Year everyone!
Wow. 2011 has completely flew by. It's just a year and a few months that I have been blogging. I have accomplished many things, I'm really pleased about how things are going with my blog. Though, now it will have to slow down a notch seeing as college is overwhelming and I really need the extra time to study.
ANYWAYS! These are some things that I really hope in accomplishing this year.

1. Download my blog weekly- Lately, I've been hearing that many bloggers have been losing their blog. Seriously? I do not want that happening with me! I spent so much time and effort with my blog that I just cannot stand the thought of losing everything!

2. Reply to comments and comment on other blogs- I rarely reply to comments on the blog. The main reason being that blogger hasn't got a reply button but I should let that be a problem now seeing as I've worked my way around it. And in commenting in other blogs, I thought that I'll do if I just read the blog posts but nopee.

3. Be more sociable- I do go on Twitter. I reply to my mentions as much as possible and emails but I don't really approach other bloggers that often which I really think I should.

4. Write more reviews!- I do read. This year I actually managed to read 142 BOOKS. Yes! But I really cannot be bothered with reviews. To write and think and write and think! Actually, I think I should find another way in expressing my love for reviews, like a video or something? I have no idea. More thinking!

5. Make Gripped into Books more popular- The blog has around 1600 followers and I get around 300 readers a day. So, I think that I should continue getting more readers and share my love of books more!

6. Stalk authors-I really have a limited amount of author posts on the blog so that should be changed. And, I need to meet more authors, I really lack that!

7. Make a YouTube channel - I haven't got YouTube channel and I do think I should make an account as it can be very useful in blogging. Only then I think would I make videos and actually watch some book trailers.

Okay. I 'll stop there and I just hope I actually can achieve them! Have you got any goals for this year?
Let me know your thoughts :)