Old Books, New Looks {9}

Time again for another round of Old Books, New Looks, where I feature the covers of books that have already been released and their redesigned paperback counterpart! :) Sometimes I like the new better, sometimes I like the old. Here's a few that I've come across lately:

The OLDIES  vs.  The NEWBIES

Well, nothing that make me truly crazy this time---not like last time LOL.

Introducing, the new and ...improved? What do you think?

Both of these are pretty, but both also looks like adult books. I think I prefer the original with the title banner and the face of the young girl---makes it a little more obvious that it's YA.

I like both, really. I do like the way the original gives you a better hint of the setting.

Original, definitely. New one's a bit too "plain ol' chic-lit". I loved the title work on the original and I wish they'd kept the original tag-line.

Bit undecided on this one. The original definitely makes a statement but I loved the scratched up wash over the city image on the new. 

Original wins.  Could they have gone more generic with the silhouetted image?  Love the flat-iron building in the back on the original, plus Catherine looks like a bad-ass. :)

Neither cover gives me any clue about the story inside, but design-wise I do like the new one better.

Tell me whatcha think!!

*UPDATED TO ADD*
Stop the presses! LOL  just came across one more that went live today.
A new look and title for Melissa Marr's Carnival of Souls:

Same book so be sure not to buy it twice (unless you want to, of course!) :)  Not sure why the change of title, but the new one is pretty.  Though it kind of looks like she's lying in blue pudding. :D

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

Deep Blue 
by Jennifer Donnelly

hitting shelves May 6, 2014 from Disney Press

description:

Deep in the ocean, in a world not so different from our own, live the merpeople. Their communities are spread throughout the oceans, seas, and freshwaters all over the globe.

When Serafina, a mermaid of the Mediterranean Sea, awakens on the morning of her betrothal, her biggest worry should be winning the love of handsome Prince Mahdi. And yet Sera finds herself haunted by strange dreams that foretell the return of an ancient evil. Her dark premonitions are confirmed when an assassin's arrow poisons Sera's mother. Now, Serafina must embark on a quest to find the assassin's master and prevent a war between the Mer nations. Led only by her shadowy dreams, Sera searches for five other mermaid heroines who are scattered across the six seas. Together, they will form an unbreakable bond of sisterhood and uncover a conspiracy that threatens their world's very existence.

My thoughts:   One gorgeous cover, an epic fantasy storyline, and the author that blew me away with her YA debut Revolution back in 2010...perfect combo.   It's been a long wait for more from this author---I'm ready!

Becky's View: All That Glows by Ryan Graudin

All That Glows by Ryan Graudin
♦publisher: HarperTeen
♦release date: February 11th, 2014
♦hardcover, 480 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦stand-alone
♦source: from publisher for honest review

Emrys—a fiery, red-headed Fae—always embraced her life in the Highlands, far from the city’s draining technology, until she’s sent to London to rejoin the Faery Guard. But this isn’t any normal assignment—she’s sent to guard Prince Richard: Britain’s notorious, partying bad boy and soon-to-be King. The prince’s careless ways and royal blood make him the irresistible for the dark spirits that feed on mortals. Sweet, disheveled, and alive with adventure—Richard is one charge who will put Emrys’s magic and heart to the test.

When an ancient force begins preying on the monarchy, Emrys must hunt through the London’s magical underworld, facing down Banshees, Black Dogs and Green Women to find the one who threatens Richard’s life. In this chaos of dark magic, palace murders and paparazzi, Emrys finds herself facing an impossible choice. For despite all her powers, Emrys has discovered a force that burns brighter than magic: love.

Review: In the world of All That Glows, British royalty dating all the way back to Camelot has been secretly protected by the Frithemaeg, a guard of faeries trained to fight off evil creatures that are after royal blood. The blood of royalty holds power and magic that every Green Woman, Banshee, and Black Dog would happily kill for. The story is set in modern London, a dangerous place for fae, as all modern technology saps them of their powers. Still, they risk it to defend the crown.

Emrys is charged with guarding Richard, the Prince who will soon be king. The danger is high enough, but he makes it worse by being lazy and out of control. I found both main characters a bit unlikable but still intriguing, though in turn that left me disconnected from the love story. While it was sweet, and was explained away as a “soul-tie” between Emrys and Richard, it often felt like a college fling.  Not to mention, he spent most of the time getting stinking drunk and dodging responsibilities where he could, so I was never quite sure what his initial appeal was for Emrys, aside from superficial good looks.  As for Emrys, she is flawed and flighty but shows great heart in her friendship with Breena and her love of being a fae. She was, however, somewhat terrible at her job!  Granted she was thrown off by being so drawn to Richard, but for being his guardian, he often had to come to her rescue or they would have both been lost. However, being unappealing to begin with gave them much room to grow, and they did redeemed themselves quite a bit by the end.

There's a mystery that keeps the reader guessing the identity of the villainous faery through about two-thirds of the book, but one bit of foreshadowing gives it all away a bit too soon. The faery-lore is interesting and the structure of their world works, but I wish there would have been a bit more delving into the history of it, the connection to Arthur Pendragon and Camelot, since that was the very beginning of the Frithemaeg.With that aside, the ending still sparkles with magical excitement as both Richard and Emrys fight for survival and for love. It's a fun, fast and fluffy read, not exactly what I'd hoped for, but entertaining still. 

 

Find Ryan Graudin online: Website  •  Twitter

 Purchase All That Glows:  Amazon  • BookDepository  •  Indiebound

New Shelf Goodies & The Weekly Nutshell {74}

For New Shelf Goodies, I'll be showing you what lovely books I acquired this week, whether from publishers, or the library, or from whatever half-crazed book-buying binge I happened to go on. :D (Inspired by Tynga's Stacking the Shelves) The Weekly Nutshell will be just that...my week here at Stories & Sweeties, in a nutshell. (inspired by Ginger @ GReads and her recaps at the end of the TGIF posts)

Just a quick share of what I got this week, and then it's back to resting for me.  Siiiiick with a hideous cold my little guy brought home from school.  It's been an exhausting week taking care of him and now me...
But I did get some lovely goodies, so here they are:

 Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn

My Last Kiss by Bethany Neal

I also received a box full of Valentines Day feature titles from Harper Collins.

Thanks, Harper &  Macmillan!

The Weekly Nutshell:

{Monday} Cover Story 
{Tuesday} Waiting on Wednesday: Suspicion 
{Wednesday} Review: Infinite by Jodi Meadows (amazing!!) 

Ok, so excuse the absence of the promised blogoversary giveaway this past week! 
With my sickie house, it just didn't happen. LOL  Soon, though! 
Stay healthy, everyone! There's some ugly stuff going around this year!
 

Becky's View: Infinite by Jodi Meadows

Infinite by Jodi Meadows
♦publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
♦release date: January 28th, 2014
♦hardcover, 432 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦series: Newsoul, book 3
  book 1: Incarnate (my review)
  book 2: Asunder (my review)
♦source: from publisher for honest review

DESTRUCTION
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.

FLIGHT
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.

CHOICE
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all.

With gorgeous romance and thrilling action, the final book in the Incarnate trilogy offers a brilliant conclusion to the compelling questions of this fascinating world, where one new girl is the key to the lives of millions.

Review: With Infinite, Jodi Meadows' epic Newsoul trilogy comes to an end...and also earns it's spot on my shelf of absolute favorite series. It's a rare thing that I can proclaim that a series kept the same level of excellence through it's entire run, maybe even getting better and better with each new installment.  This series did exactly that.

Now that Ana has discovered the truth about Janan and the immortality of the people of Range, she knows she must bring it all to an end.  In her exile, she must form a plan to stop Janan from ascending, bringing with her only those she trusts the most: Sam, Stef, Whit, and very few others.  As more answers come to light, she knows that even those closest to her will question her and possibly even turn on her, but she must keep her strength and resolve because the entire fate of the Newsouls rests with her. Almost ever character is made to question themselves, to come to terms with their own lives and beliefs and loyalties, and to face their worst fears head on.
 
Music has always had an inportant role in this story, and it becomes even more significant as Ana seeks help in the most unexpected of places.  Many fantastical creatures will come into play. Music and magic and Ana's determination to make things right all weave together to propel this story to it's uncertain end.

I won't go into anymore detail than that, because to spoil any part of this experience for another reader would be a tragedy, but I absolutely loved it and recommend it many times over to anyone who loves well-written fantasy, intricate world-building, strong memorable characters, and a story with heart, intelligence, and purpose.

Find Jodi Meadows online:  Website  •  Twitter  •  Facebook

 

Purchase Infinite:  Amazon  •  BookDepository  •  Indiebound

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

Suspicion

by Alexandra Monir

hitting shelves December 23rd, 2014 from Delacorte Press

description:
A contemporary Downton Abbey with a dash of the supernatural, a hot and heavy romance, and a deadly family mystery.

"There's something hidden in the maze."

Seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford has never forgotten the last words her father said to her, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family's English country manor.

For seven years, images of her parents' death have haunted Imogen's dreams. In an effort to escape the past, she leaves Rockford Manor and moves to New York City with her new guardians. But some attachments prove impossible to shake-including her love for her handsome neighbor Sebastian Stanhope.

Then a letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor in England, where she quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind Rockford's aristocratic exterior. At their center is Imogen herself-and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.

Combining spine-tingling mystery, powerful romance, and unforgettable characters, Suspicion is an action-packed thrill ride.

My thoughts: Despite this one being painfully far from publication, it's already on my radar.  Intriguing synopsis, gorgeous cover, and an author whose first book I absolutely loved (I do need to read her second book still, so something to do while I'm waiting for this one!). 

Cover Story

Such cover gorgeousness has been revealed lately!! Check these out:

Everything Leads to You 
by Nina LaCour
Dutton Juvenile, May 15, 2014

Evidence of Things Not Seen

by Lindsey Lane

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, September 16, 2014

The Girl from the Well
by Rin Chupeco
Sourcebooks Fire, August 5, 2014

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future

by A.S. King

Little Brown, October 2014

The Kiss of Deception
by Mary E. Pearson
Henry Holt, June 15, 2014

Storm

by Donna Jo Napoli

Simon & Schuster, Febuary 11, 2014

Witch Hunt
by Ruth Warburton
Hodder, June 5, 2014 (UK)








I'd like to pick a favorite of these, but I just can't! I love them all! I will say that I adore the title work on Everthing Leads to You and The Kiss of Deception. Gorgeous!

New Shelf Goodies & The Weekly Nutshell {73}

For New Shelf Goodies, I'll be showing you what lovely books I acquired this week, whether from publishers, or the library, or from whatever half-crazed book-buying binge I happened to go on. :D (Inspired by Tynga's Stacking the Shelves) The Weekly Nutshell will be just that...my week here at Stories & Sweeties, in a nutshell. (inspired by Ginger @ GReads and her recaps at the end of the TGIF posts)

Here's what I picked up this week!  Yay for birthday shopping trips! :)

 This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Happy to have a finished copy of this! (reviewed it here)

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

This looks so cute!

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

 I've been meaning to read this forever! Finally got myself a copy!

The Weekly Nutshell:

{Tuesday} Waiting on Wednesday: Dark Metropolis
{Wednesday} My Can't-Wait List for 2014

I hope everyone had a great week! We had fun birthday celebration filled with lots of pampering and shopping and food . Since hubby and I have birthdays together, we don't buy eachother anything, it's just a weekend of shopping, pampering, and eating at our favorite restaurants! :)

The Faeries and Fantasy Hop is over and winners have been announced! Thanks to everyone who entered!

My 4-year blog birthday is coming up with week...look out for a celebration giveaway!

My Can't-Wait List for 2014...

...keeps growing and changing as new titles and covers get released! Ugh!  So much good stuff coming out this year.  Here's what's at the top of my anticipation list, my top 14 for 2014 :)

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

Dark Metropolis
by Jaclyn Dolamore

hitting shelves June 17, 2014 from Disney-Hyperion

description:
Cabaret meets Cassandra Clare-a haunting magical thriller set in a riveting 1930s-esque world.

Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder's mother is cursed with a spell that's driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.
Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city's secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.

Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they're not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.

Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don't always seem to stay that way.

My thoughts: I don't know about the Cassie Clare comparison since I haven't read her books, but the mix of dark magic, hint of something zombie-ish, and 30's setting has got my attention!

New Shelf Goodies & The Weekly Nutshell {72}

For New Shelf Goodies, I'll be showing you what lovely books I acquired this week, whether from publishers, or the library, or from whatever half-crazed book-buying binge I happened to go on. :D (Inspired by Tynga's Stacking the Shelves) The Weekly Nutshell will be just that...my week here at Stories & Sweeties, in a nutshell. (inspired by Ginger @ GReads and her recaps at the end of the TGIF posts)

Here's what came through my mailbox this week! 

 For review:

Starbird Murphy and the World Outside by Karen Finneyfrock

Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff

The Glass Sentence by S.E. Grove

The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler

Many thanks, to my Penguin rep for these!! I'm SO excited for every single one of them!

The Weekly Nutshell:
{Monday} My favorite books of 2014
{Tuesday} Review: Bang by Lisa McMann
{Wednesday} Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop
{Wednesday} Waiting on Wednesday: One Past Midnight
{Friday} Review: Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce 

Have a great week everyone!!  It's my hubby's and my birthday this week (we're one day apart), so I may be missing a bit toward the end!  Hope everyone has a great week with lots of books! :D