What's New: January YA Releases & Giveaway!

It's 2013! We survived :D! And it's on to another year..
This month brings lots of fun stuff---my 3 year blogoversary (3 years, guys!! Holy cow, where did the time go!) so expect a lovely celebration there. My birthday is also this month. AND ALA Midwinter is coming up! Not only am I excited to attend, but it's also my first time visiting Seattle! Fun!
So with all this, I've been pretty excited for January to get here!

So if you're new to Stories & Sweeties, here's a little run-down of this feature: at the start of each month, I do a little thing called the "What's New List & Giveaway" where you'll find a full list of the new releases in YA for the month, and entry to the giveaway. At the end of each month, one lucky winner will get to choose any new release as their prize!

First things first! The winner of December's giveaway was: Len! Congratulations! :D

January 2013 Releases:
Just like previous months, I've put a little l♥ve by those books that I am really anticipating---whether I can't wait to read them or I just can't wait to have my own finished copy!

{1}
Altered by Jennifer Rush
The Dead & Buried by Kim Harrington ♥
Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters by Suzanne Weyn ♥
Empty by K.M. Walton
The Essence by Kimberly Derting
Falling for You by Lisa Schroeder
The Fire Horse Girl by Kay Honeyman ♥
The Savage Blue by Zoraida Cordova
The Sin-eater's Confessions by Ilsa J. Bick
Splintered by A.G. Howard ♥
Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz
Victoria Rebels by Carolyn Meyer

{2}
Catherine by April Lindner ♥
Prophecy by Ellen Oh

{8}
Anatomy of a Single Girl by Daria Snadowsky
Blood Prophecy by Alyxandra Harvey
Broken by A.E. Rought
Cleopatra Ascending by Maureen Lipinski
Crash by Lisa McMann ♥
Delusion by Laura L. Sullivan
Doomed by Tracy Deebs
The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson
Fangtabulous by Lucienne Diver
Janie Face to Face by Caroline B. Cooney
Just One Day by Gayle Forman ♥
One Came Home by Amy Timberlake
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff ♥
Revolution 19 by Gregg Rosenblum
Rise by Andrea Cremer
Shadowlands by Kate Brian ♥
Then You Were Gone by Lauren Strasnick
Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi
Timekeeper by Alexandra Monir ♥
The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan
What We Saw at Night by Jacquelyn Mitchard
The Wrap-up List by Steven Arntson
 
{10}
The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell
Salvation by Anne Osterlund

{15}
Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz
Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans ♥
Return to Me by Justina Chen
Shades of Earth by Beth Revis
Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway
Uses for Boys by Lorraine Scheidt
Vortex by Julie Cross

{18}
Exposure by Kim Ashkey & Amy Helms
The Namesake by Steven Parlato

{22}
The Archived by Victoria Schwab ♥
Black Ice by Andrew Lane
Boundless by Cynthia Hand ♥
Cinders & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed
Everbound by Brodi Ashton
Kiki Strike: The Darkness Dwellers by Kirsten Miller
Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Ravage by Jeff Sampson 

{24}
Slated by Teri Terry
Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard 
 
{29}
Asunder by Jodi Meadows ♥
Hooked by Liz Fichera
The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook
Othermoon by Nina Berry
The Prey by Andrew Fukuda
Prodigy by Marie Lu ♥
Shadowhunters and Downworlders by Cassandra Clare
Shadows in the Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton
A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso
Stolen Nights by Rebecca Maizel
Sweet 16 to Life by Kimberly Reid
The Voice by Jennifer Anne Davies
What the Spell by Brittany Geragotelis


(All links go to Goodreads)
Please feel free to email me if you notice any YA titles missing! :)

Giveaway Details:
One winner will win a YA January release of their choice! *see note below
• Contest ends January 31th, 2013 at 11:59 PM
• Must be 13 or older
• Open internationally. *International winners will be required to choose a book that is available through BookDepository.com. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.

The Theory of Everything
by Kari Luna

hitting shelves July 11th, 2013 from Philomel 

description:
Sophie Sophia is obsessed with music from the late eighties. She also has an eccentric physicist father who sometimes vanishes for days and sees things other people don’t see. But when he disappears for good and Sophie’s mom moves them from Brooklyn, New York, to Havencrest, Illinois, for a fresh start, things take a turn for the weird. Sophie starts seeing things, like marching band pandas, just like her dad.

Guided by Walt, her shaman panda, and her new (human) friend named Finny, Sophie is determined to find her father and figure out her visions, once and for all. So she travels back to where it began—New York City and NYU’s physics department. As she discovers more about her dad’s research on M-theory and her father himself, Sophie opens her eyes to the world’s infinite possibilities—and her heart to love.
 
My thoughts: This sounds like all kinds of fun and weird, and it has to be one of the most interesting and adorable covers to come out of YA this year.  I'll definitely be reading this one. 

Welcome, 2013!! My top 13 most anticipated books!!

Happy  New  Year!! 

 

It's going to be a fantastic year, I know it!! Especially where books are concerned!  There are so many I'm eagerly anticipating, I honestly don't know how I pared this list down to only 13!

Spellcaster by Claudia Gray
This fantastic author takes on the subject of witches. Seriously can't wait to read this!

The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar

Not only am I completely in love with this cover, but I love that it's about a girl and her magic genie!! 

Born of Illusion by Teri Brown
Gah, I died when I saw this synopsis---the supposed daughter of Houdini who has real powers??  Sounds perfectly historical and magical!

Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield

This one sounds beautifully eerie, about a girl who is forbidden to sing or else the darkness will find her. 

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke
I've been pining for this since I spotted that gorgeous cover. Sounds like a fantasticly creepy love story!

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger 

This sounds a fun tale of steampunk---a school where young ladies to properly take high tea...and take a life.  Sounds amazing!

Far Far Away by Tom McNeal
Incredibly excited for this one.  A boy doesn't just hear voices---he hears the voice of Jacob Grimm!

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

Ghost stories...I need more of them. Especially eerie, romantic ghost stories that feature vintage photography!

 

The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett
The main character is a nightmare---literally!  This is such a creative idea for a book and I can't wait to see how it plays out!

Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton 

Another where something unusual becomes the characters in the story,...this time it's one girl's emotions who come to life. Sounds so unique!

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson
A gothic retelling of the Bluebeard fairytale.  I do love retellings!

Antigoddess by Kendare Blake 

Gods, goddesses,...and Kendare Blake. That's all I need to know. 

Plague in the Mirror by Deborah Noyes
Fourteeth century Florence, a creepy twin from the past peering out of the mirror, and the promise of a passionate romance! Love the sound of this one!






Now, just a little note: these titles don't include all the series continuations that I am eagerly awaiting---that is a whole other monster of a list!!  But just to list a few:

Boundless by Cynthia Hand

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Asunder by Jodi Meadows

Sever by Lauren DeStephano

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins 

(Ok technically the last two are more spin-offs than continuations, but I'm still just as excited!!)

So what's on your list of most anticipated books of 2013?? 

FAREWELL, 2012!! My top 12 reads of the year!

Well, well, well...another year flown by.  It's time to say good-bye to this year and ring in the next!

It was a fantastic year in books, so many great reads that blew me away with great storytelling, some with heart-pounding action, some with swoon-worthy romances, but all with characters that will stay with me a very long time.

So on this last day of the year, I'm going to tell you my absolute
 TOP 12 favorite books of

And in no particular order, here they are:

What a great way to kick the year off.  Cinder was the first book I read in 2012 and it was also one of the very best.
My review of Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The Lost Girl took me completely by surprise.  I'd never even heard of this one when I happened to pick it up at ALA this summer. It blew me away. Completely.  

My review of The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

Ok, so I know alot of people have had a love or hate relationship with these books, but I personally adored this series.  And this last one...WOW. Such a perfect and incredible way to end things.
My review of Rapture by Lauren Kate

I loved the concept of the reincarnated souls and the main character being set apart by being a "new soul", a wonderful fantasy, beautiful music, and a romantic masquerade ball scene that took my breathe away!

My review of Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Another end of series that was just absolute storytelling perfection. I love how  these stories have so much fun and humor and adventure, but each one brought something so completely fresh and different in every single book.
My review of Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

This is the only series by Armentrout that I've read, but this one makes me want to read them ALL.  There is just something about her writing that completely draws me in. 

My review of Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I can't wait to get more of this series. I mean, come on---assassin nuns serving the patron saint of death?? I was salivating for this from the moment I saw this outstanding cover and it was worth every second of the wait.
My review of Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Every bit as good as the first, and even a little gorier.  This was just a two book series, but both of them were amazing.  Can't wait for more from Kendare Blake.

Review of Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Cat Patrick has this extraordinary way of making a story concept that seems like it might be too sci-fi for us non-sci-fi-readers, and spinning it into such a beautiful human story that takes such a deep look at one girl's view of life and death.
My review of Revived by Cat Patrick

I read a few steampunk books this year, but this one was my favorite by far---an intricate, twisting plot, a sweet slow-budding romance, a mystery that keeps you guessing, and some absolutely wonderful characters.

My review of The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

 


This was another unexpected favorite.  And a good lesson not to judge a book by it's cover. I was not liking this cover, just a bit too cheesy for me. But the story inside...INCREDIBLE.  Loved it.
My review of Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

  

SO.MUCH.LOVE for this book. Period.  Haven't read it yet?  READ IT. 

My review of Every Day by David Levithan

So what were your favorites of the year? Are any of these books on your list?

Have a happy new year, everyone!! I'll see you in 2013. Check back in tomorrow for my top 13 most anticipated books of 2013!!

New Shelf Goodies & The Weekly Nutshell {31}

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 Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie's This Week in Books & 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) Note: This is not a meme, but I'll be hopping around to any other book haul-sharing posts I come across!

So these are actually my goodies for the last two weeks:

For Review:

Splintered by A.G. Howard

Lovely finished copy - so I'll be giving away my ARC! Reading this now and loving it!

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza

Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley

Imposter by Jill Hathaway

Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan

Such awesome things coming out from Harper this year!

Frost by Kathryn James

Sequel to Mist, which was a fun british MG that I loved!  Can't wait to see what happens next!

Huge thanks to Abrams, Harper Collins, and Hodder Children's for these!!

The Weekly Nutshell: 

{12/18} Review: Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin

{12/19} Waiting on Wednesday: The Loop by Shandy Lawson

{12/27} Review: The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

{12/28} Book trailers: Destroy Me, Darkest Minds, & Falling for You 

Hope everyone had a fantastic holiday!  Ours was a blast with lots of noise and toys everywhere and yummy cookies and fudge! My kids are still on winter break so I'll be in and out of the blog for another week or so! And we've officially started counting the days until ALA midwinter in Seattle, WA!! Anyone else going?? 

 

Book Trailers: Destroy Me, Darkest Minds, Falling for You

How did I miss the release of the Destroy Me trailer!? So excited for this one and Unravel Me!
Great trailers for Falling for You and Darkest Minds, too.  I love when they look like little mini movies, not just music and text.  Check it out:

Destory Me by Tahereh Mafi

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Falling for You by Lisa Schroeder

Becky's View: The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington
♦publisher: Scholastic Point
♦release date: January 1st, 2013
♦hardcover, 304 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦stand-alone
♦source: from publisher for honest review

A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

Review: I love Kim Harrington's writing style.  Her books are always quick-paced page-turners, unfolding these great stories that draw you right in and keep you glued there until the last page.  The Dead and Buried was certainly no exception and has all the elements of a good old classic ghost story.  Rooms getting mysteriously upended, ghostly nightmares and possessions,  there's even a good creepy oujia board scene---and nothing creeps me out more than when there are little kids mixed up in the haunting. 

Jade has just moved into her dream house with her father, stepmother, and 5-year-old brother, whom she adores.  So when creepy things start happening and her brother seems to be the ghost's target, Jade is determined to do anything to make it stop.  Her father is away and she asks her stepmother for help, only to be accused of trying to start trouble.  So she's on her own.  The story also gives us little glimpses into the head of Kayla Sloane, the girl who is haunting the house. In life she was mean, shallow, spoiled, ...just not a very nice person. Maybe a few cracks in her cruel soul, but not many.   And in death she is pure evil.  Kayla wants to know who murdered her and unless Jade solves the mystery, she's threatening Jade's little brother's life.  See what I mean...EVIL.   So Jade is racing to get to the bottom of the mystery, getting in with Kayla's old friends so she can weed out the murderer---but what happens when nearly all of them have a motive?

There are characters to love and characters to hate in this one.  I really enjoyed reading Kayla, she has so much love for her brother, so much pain over losing her mother.  She has some faults and confidence issues, but there is a real kindness to her.  From her mother, she has a love for collecting natural stones and it was an interesting part of her character, the way she used them as sort of talismans although she herself wasn't quite convinced that she believed in their power. The rest of the mixed cast of characters were great, a few of your typical cliché teen personas, but also a few really unexpected surprises.   The romance was sweet, but of course, clouded by secrets and suspicion since the sweet, artsy Donovan had one major motive as well!  

The Dead and Buried is perfect for fans of creepy, ghostly murder mysteries---it's a quick entertaining read that keeps you guessing until the very end!

 Find Kim Harrington online:  Website  •  Twitter  •  Facebook

Purchase The Dead and Buried:  Amazon  •  BN.com  •  BookDepository  •  Indiebound