Cover Reveal: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Yes, the first book is still sitting in my TBR pile. But I felt the need to go ahead and put this baby on display! It's just too awesome-looking not to do it. Plus, since I just heard about it today, I am far too ecstatic not to tell at least someone about it.

Obviously I chose you guys.

The second installment in the all-new series from the masterful, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after... 

Can you guys just look at this cover a moment? Just gaze at it as I am doing at this exact moment. Ponder the amazingness that has been made. Also, can I just mention that I am so relieved there is not a sudden cover change? It really grates on my nerves when publishers do that, because none of my books would match anymore!

Putting that aside, I love how the ravens just seem to fly from him, his very being. He is the raven.

Okay, sorry. I was on a little fan craze at that moment.

Anyway, I cannot tell you how excited I am for this. There are no words. If you're excited for it as well, comment below and tell me what specifically you can't wait to see more of in this series!

Until later,
Sam

2013 Reading Challenges

I've only done one reading challenge before, which was to see how many books I could read in that year (I read 116 books this year), and that was fun, so I decided to do some more reading challenges! (Because, really, who doesn't love a good challenge?!)

hobbitsies.net

Each participant must come up with a list of at least 12 debut books to read and review in 2013.

auntiespinellireads.com

The goal: To read as many sequels as you can. You set your goal at whatever number works for you.

I'm setting my goal for 15 books.

megantalksbooks.blogspot.com

The goal is to read one book featuring each of the following paranormal creatures:

Vampires

Werewolves/Shifters

Fey

Angels/Nephilim

Mermaids

Dragons

Zombies

Demons

Witches/Wizards

Ghosts

Aliens

Other (ie: sirens, unicorns, centaurs, timetravel etc.)

readingwithtequila.com

Using the 2012 Book Blogger Recommendation List, chose books from the list. You can decide to read books only on the Top 25 list or from the entire recommendation list. You do not have to make a list of books before the challenge begins.

The Levels:

Level I - Read 5 books from the 2012 Book Blogger Recommendation List

Level II - Read 10 books

Level III - Read 15 books

Level IV - Read 20 books

Level V - Read 20+ books

workadayreads.com

The 2013 Ebook Challenge. Encouraging readers to expand past just physical books to embrace ebooks in all forms, whether on Kindle, Kobo, computer, or any other reader.

Levels:

Floppy disk – 5 ebooks

CD – 10 ebooks

DVD – 25 ebooks

Memory stick – 50 ebooks

Hard drive – 75 ebooks

Server – 100 ebooks

Human brain – 150 ebooks

So, are you up to the challenge? Good luck! :D

Part Two: Cash In the Books

 Hello, and welcome to Part Two!

I've decided to do a new thing. Whenever I get a check and spend it on books, I'll call it "Cash In the Books." I figured it was a pretty sweet name.

Anyway, I got about nine more books, so I should be set on books until around April when I'm getting some more books for my birthday. Just leave a comment on one you want a particular review or my thoughts on. By the way, I will be doing more recommendations, so look forward to that!

I hope you've all had a great 2012 year filled with a wonderful abundance of books! Let's all hope this next year will be great (or better). And, hey, let's all be thankful about the world not ending. (Unless you wanted that. Otherwise...)

Happy 2013!!

Part One: Book-Related Presents for Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you had a great day celebrating Jesus' birthday.

There are a lot of things I love about Christmas. Obviously the first is being reminded of the day our Lord and Savior was born from the Virgin Mary, but the second has to be seeing the reactions of my family and friends as they open gifts I gave them. The third, well, is pretty obvious. Opening presents myself! I can't deny that I'm pretty sure we all love doing this.

I had some great surprises. I got a laptop (which I received before Christmas, but I still count it), a very nice camera (because I love photography), a small camera from my sister that gives it automatic vintage frames around the photo, some candy in my stocking, and Barnes & Noble gift cards. Guys, you have no idea how many of these I received. Four. FOUR. And I am so happy and grateful with all the things I was gifted!

So obviously I used the gift cards right away.

The first gift card was for NOOK, and those books I bought on Christmas Eve and listed on the December Book Haul. But the rest are for physical books. Yes. Physical books. It's been awhile, guys. It has. (Not that I don't love NOOK Books, because of course I do!)

After all the presents were open and my family who visited retired to their own homes, I went straight to B&N and ordered some books for myself. More than half of these books are used, but they are in great condition (either Very Good or Like New, for around two dollars or less, not counting shipping prices). The newer ones you see near the bottom are brand new from the website.

I'm so excited to get started on these!

z

Have you guys read any of these books? If so, please comment and tell me how you like them, and which you'd like me to review. And any recommendations are always welcome!

By the way, I also received a check from my grandma, which I will use to buy more books (I think I'm obsessed with using everything to buy more books. Aren't we all, though?), so look forward to Part Two!

December Book Haul

Hello, and welcome back!

Today I have a December Book Haul for you guys! (Well, for me, too, obviously. I am reading these, anyhow.) It's quite lengthy, and that is because a few of these books are gifts and some of them I found free, while the others I bought on my own (there are only two of those). Only two of these books are not eBooks.

Without further ado, let's get on with it.

I'll make a separate post on where you can get free NOOK Books and possibly Kindle Books. I also have some books from NetGalley, but you can comment if you want to see those, but otherwise I'll just make reviews for them and you'll see then.

What books have you gotten this month?

Cover Reveal: The Grass is Always Greener by Jen Calonita

How many secrets can one family keep?

Amid preparations for Emerald Cove's extravagant Founders Day celebration and their own shared sweet sixteen, Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe are longing to break free from the tight constraints that come with being the daughters of a prominent public figure. When Izzie's estranged aunt, Zoe, breezes into town, the already uneasy family dynamic is turned on its head.

Izzie's finally found her footing in Emerald Cove by leading the Social Butterflies, her school's prestigious club, and she has no interest in getting to know yet another long-lost family member. But Mira, who's on a mission to try new things and make new friends, is drawn to Izzie's artsy aunt. And when Mira meets a handsome, brooding painter, her entire perspective on life begins to shift.

As tensions mount in Emerald Cove, Zoe's laid-back attitude appeals to both girls. But when she offers Izzie the chance of a lifetime, it's time to make a tough decision. What's more important: family or freedom?

Hardcover, 304 pages

Expected publication: April 16th 2013 by Poppy

ISBN

0316091103 (ISBN13: 9780316091107)

series

Belles #3

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What a lovely cover! Not the fanciest or the most intriguing, but lovely nontheless. Any thoughts?

Cover Reveal: Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

I am so excited about this one. It is the third and final book in the trilogy, and the cover is amazing. Susan Kaye Quinn is a self-published novelist, with fresh and intriguing stories to pour into that'll leave you wanting more.

When your mind is a weapon, freedom comes at a price.

Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.

Doesn't this sound awesome? I can't wait!