Top Ten Tuesday - YA/MG Book Covers

Over at The Broke and the Bookish, they host this fun list meme called Top Ten Tuesday! Each week, they post a Top Ten subject for us, and we make our lists!

This weeks Top Ten list is:
Top Ten Book Covers!


You all know how I love my book covers! Today I'm going to show you my Top Ten YA/MG covers! Honestly, not really any rhyme or reason to these, they are just the top ten covers I think of when I think of eye-catching, drop-dead gorgeous covers!

I didn't link these pics so you could click on them and see them bigger---believe me, it's worth it! ;)

And this is just a few of my favorites---I pared these choices down from a list of about 30. I ♥ lovely book covers!

Review: Oppression by Jessica Therrien

Oppression by Jessica Therrien

publisher: Zova Books

release date: February, 28, 2012

paperback, 346 pages
(reviewed ebook)

intended audience: Young adult

series: Children of the Gods, book 1

rating:



source: from author for honest review

description: Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than the average person, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Among so many of her kind, she should not be very remarkable--except for the prophecy. Some believe she will put an end to traditions, safeguarded by violence, which have oppressed her people for centuries. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning--and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.

Review: Oppression definitely doesn't make you wait long before it snatches up your attention and pulls you right into the story. Things happen right off the bat that define Elyse's character and give you a little insight into who she is and how she lives. I really loved being pulled in so quickly. And this set the pace for a most of the book---chapter after chapter, we are rewarded with satisfying nuggets of information, as new questions pop up. It's a really well-told story.

There is a great cast of characters in this book, and it was fun to get to know each of their personalities and find out their powers and who they are descended from. There were parts that felt a little like "Sky High" with a gym-type class where everyone showed off their powers, but it was fun all the same. I also really loved the "human" characters---Betsy, Chloe, and was completely drawn into Anna's part of the story. I hope to hear more about Betsy and Anna and their history with Elyse in future installments of this series! The ominous "council" remains a mystery, though---definitely want to know more about them and their motivations.

The one thing that did bother me was how swoony Elyse was over William. Their relationship was sweet and lovely and they had a great chemistry, yes---but hearing again and again how gorgeous he was with his penetrating gaze and his mezmerizing smile---it just got a little redundant after the first few times. I did love them together though. I loved that there was history there, even though technically they had just met, and I love how well each one's sense of humor played off of the others. Elyse on her own was a great character. Even though she knew what she had to do and was incredibly brave in standing for what she believed in and in making some huge sacrifices, it made her very real to me to see her with just a hint of selfishness and a need to feel love since her whole life had been about distancing herself from others.

Altogether, it was a perfect mix of action, intense emotion, discovery, danger, and love. A very captivating read...with one major cliffhanger of an ending! Bring on book 2!

Visit Jessica Therrien at http://jessica-therrien.blogspot.com/.
Come by in a few days to see my interview with Jessica!

Purchase Oppression at: Amazon • BN.com • BookDepository
(right now the ebook is one .99!)

In My Mailbox {106}

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren,
where we all share what we got during the week.

So, nothing came in my mailbox this week, but thanks to this lovely posts at Stalking the Bookshelves, I did buy a few ebooks! SO, I'll just jump right into...

New On My Nook!

Bought:
Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
The Goddess Hunt by Aimee Carter
Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
I've been meaning to read Finnikin and Born at Midnight for ages, so when I saw the ebooks were only 3.99, I couldn't pass up that steal. Loved Aimee Carter's Goddess Test and I'm reading Goddess Interrupted this month, so I couldn't resist adding in the companion novella!

That's all for this week---happy reading, everyone!

Cover Story! The Rift & The Essence

Two awesome covers hit the web this week!

No summary yet for The Essence. The Rift looks awesome...it's a prequel to Andrea Cremer's Nightshade series!
Each photo goes to Goodreads so you can add them to your lists!

Book Trailers: Temptation of Angels and Starters

I came across trailers for these two awesome March releases!!

First off, one my very favorite authors has a new book coming out soon!!
Michelle Zink's Temptation of Angels!


Second up...Starters by Lissa Price!
This definitely looks like a unique story!



So what do you think of these? Do these trailers make you want to read these books??

What's New: March Releases & Giveaway!!

It's March! It's almost spring, and the rain is already starting. Perfect time to curl up with a book and read away the day! :D

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! Lots of cool looking titles this month so lets get to it!

First off, the winner of February's giveaway was: Tiffany Drew! Congrats, Tiffany!!

March Releases:
Just like previous months, I've put a little l♥ve by those books that I am really anticipating!

{1}
Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick
Daughters of the Sea: Lucy by Kathryn Lasky
The Final Hour by Paul Volponi
Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlan
The Glass Collector by Anna Perera
The Lifeguard by Deborah Blumenthal
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews ♥
Perception by Kim Harrington ♥
Ripper by Stefan Petrucha

{5}
Boy 21 by Matthew Quick
Rock On by Denise Vega

{6}
Balthazar by Claudia Gray
Embrace by Jessica Shirvington ♥
Everlasting by Elizabeth Chandler
Fair Coin by E.C. Myers
Illuminate by Aimee Agresti ♥
Interrupted: A Life Beyond Words by Rachel Coker
The Ivy: Rivals by Lauren Kunze
Soul Bound by Marianne Marcusi
The Spinoza Problem by Irvin D. Yalom
Vampire Kiss: The Watchers by Veronica Wolff
Where it Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

{8}
Buried : A Goth Girl Mystery by Linda Joy Singleton
Katana by Cole Gibsen
Pieces of Us by Margie Gelbwasser

{13}
Crater Lake: Battle for Wizard Island by Steve Westover
Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould
Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley
Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta ♥
The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind by Meg Medina
Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Love and Haight by R.S.K. Carlton
The Night She Disappeared by April Henry ♥
Out of Sight, Out of Mind by Ally Carter
Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig
The Savage Grace by Bree Despain ♥
Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins
Starters by Lissa Price
Vampire Diaries: The Compelled by L.J. Smith
Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard

{15}
Dark Eyes by William Harlan Richter
The Difference Between You and Me by Madeleine George
Operative by Kate Kaynak

{20}
Croak by Gina Damico
The Divide: Secret Circle #4 by L.J. Smith
Loss by Jackie Morse Kessler
Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink ♥
Traitor's Son by Hilari Bell
When You Open Your Eyes by Celeste Conway
Wonder Show by Hannah Barnaby ♥

{27}
After the Snow by S.D. Crockett
Another Jekyll, Another Hyde by Daniel & Dina Nayeri
Forgiven by Jana Oliver
Goddess, Interrupted by Aimee Carter ♥
Invisible Sun by David Macinnis Gill
Life Is But A Dream by Brian James ♥
Slide by Jill Hathaway ♥
Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz
The Stalker Chronicles by Carley Moore

(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 March Release of their choice! *see note below
• Contest ends at 11:59 PM, PST on March 31st, 2012.
• Must be 13 or older
• Open internationally. *International winners will be required to choose a book that is available through BookDepository.com.
• Please enter one time only for each monthly giveaway.