Hello readers! Welcome to another edition of nail art inspired by fiction. This weeks nail art is based on a series I am yet to read but some of my friends at work have read this and are raving about it - Game Of Thrones.

I have too many books. It’s official. And look, honestly I realise there are far worse problems a girl can have. But I have run out of shelf space. So I am about to embark on a mission to make more room. Some of my shelves are just in too far of a messy state to share right now (I feel guilty everytime I look at those dusty shelves! lol) but here’s some of “The Book Situation”

I think I am going to have to find a new place for those DVD’s and Blu Rays…

Yes.. there are even books in that basket in the top left corner. Creepy looking right? lol The decorative stuff may have to go if I can’t find enough room for books.

The shelf under these houses more random books but mostly crime and true crime. And the state of those shelves is messy as, thus why the image cuts off where it does! haha

Just another random shelf.

And this is just some of my books!!! EEK! If things go to plan, I am looking at moving to a bigger place this year, where I will have heaps more space to spread out the books and fit more shelves in. When that happens, I’ll be a very happy girl! Until them, I am trying to make the best of a limited space situation.

Release Date: December 28th 2006
Published By: HarperCollins Australia
Pages: 263
Goodreads: Add it to your reading list

Rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis: A deeply affecting coming-of-age story, Looking for Alaska traces the journey of Miles Halter, a misfit Florida teenager who leaves the safety of home for a boarding school in Alabama and a chance to explore the “Great Perhaps.” Debut novelist and NPR commentator Green perfectly captures the intensity of feeling and despair that defines adolescence in this hip, shocking, and emotionally charged work of fiction.

Miles has a quirky interest in famous people’s last words, especially François Rabelais’s final statement, “I go to seek a Great Perhaps.” Determined not to wait for death to begin a similar quest, Miles convinces his parents to let him leave home. Once settled at Culver Creek Preparatory School, he befriends a couple of equally gifted outcasts: his roommate Chip―commonly known as the Colonel—who has a predilection for memorizing long, alphabetical lists for fun; and the beautiful and unpredictable Alaska, whom Miles comes to adore.

The kids grow closer as they make their way through a school year filled with contraband, tests, pranks, breakups, and revelations about family and life. But as the story hurtles toward its shattering climax, chapter headings like “forty-six days before” and “the last day” portend a tragic event―one that will change Miles forever and lead him to new conclusions about the value of his cherished “Great Perhaps.”

Review: I didn’t really have much idea about what Looking For Alaska was all about before I started reading it. I knew that it has a massive fan base (Which goes along with John Green territory really), but no idea about the story itself. I highly recommend going into this book blind like I did, because I feel it amplified my emotions. I was caught off guard and went on an emotional rollercoaster with this one.

How does John Green do this? He is able to tap into the mind of an everyday ordinary teenage boy and describe the day to day goings on in such a way, that even though it’s an ordinary life, feels extraordinary when you take it in. The characters are written with such realism that it’s hard to forget you’re reading a work of fiction. I mean, drinking Strawberry Hill, smoking in the bathroom with the shower on to hide the fumes, mixing your liquer in milk, a suit case that transforms into your coffee table, confidence issues, experiencing your first blow job. This is a coming of age story at it’s rawest.

But it’s also more than that. Because it’s about relationships as well. It’s about making friends despite your differences, it’s about falling in love (and also maybe a bit about falling in lust). It doesn’t pretend that all friendships are smooth. The charatcers are complex and three dimensional and layered. Alaska herself is friendly one moment, and the next she is angry and doesn’t want to talk. And then she goes to being flirty and playful, and the next in tears. The characters are presented on paper as they would if they were real people, because that’s what we are - complex creatures. I feel like John Green has a beautiful way of highlighting this through his writing.

In particular I really appreciated the self-depreciating way that Miles is about himself. We often are told of how perfect our YA boys are, yet one of the very first things Miles talks about himself is to say that he has no friends, is not popular, and is far too skinny. He carries these insecurities with him throughout the book, and it’s clear that Alaska and Lara both don’t share the same sentiments as they mention how hot they find him, but our protagonist has his hang ups about himself.

This is the second John Green book I’ve read (I also read The Fault In Our Stars) and both books were absolutely wonderful and evoked strong emotions in their own ways. Any praise John Green gets is so well deserved. I am definitely planning on reading his other books after this experience.

Quotes:

“When adults say, “Teenagers think they are invincible” with that sly, stupid smile on their faces, they don’t know how right they are. We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken. We think that we are invincible because we are. We cannot be born, and we cannot die. Like all energy, we can only change shapes and sizes and manifestations. They forget that when they get old. They get scared of losing and failing. But that part of us greater than the sum of our parts cannot begin and cannot end, and so it cannot fail.”

“Thomas Edison’s last words were ‘It’s very beautiful over there’. I don’t know where there is, but I believe it’s somewhere, and I hope it’s beautiful.”

“I wanted so badly to lie down next to her on the couch, to wrap my arms around her and sleep. Not fuck, like in those movies. Not even have sex. Just sleep together in the most innocent sense of the phrase. But I lacked the courage and she had a boyfriend and I was gawky and she was gorgeous and I was hopelessly boring and she was endlessly fascinating. So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was hurricane.”

It’s Wednesday which means it’s time to tell you what I have been up to for the past week! W..W..W.. Wednesdays is a weekly meme bought to you by MizB from Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. I absolutely loved Cinder and so far I am enjoying Scarlet, but it’s early on in the book (Chapter 5) at the moment.

What did you recently finish reading?

In the last week I have finished reading Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff as well as Looking For Alaska by John Green. The review of Paper Valentine was posted yesterday if you want to check that out, and my review of Looking For Alaska will be posted on Friday - but in short, it was AMAZING. I really got wrapped up in the emotion of the book.

What do you think you’ll read next?

I’ve been reading some books that I’ve long had on my TBR list like Paper Valentine, Looking For Alaska and now Scarlet. There’s so many, that realistically I’ll never ‘catch up’, but there’s a lot of books I’d love to read when I’m not reading ARC’s. Depending on my mood at the time I’d love to get around to Sever by Lauren DeStefano, Reached by Allie Condie, The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult. I am still up to date with my ARC’s right now - I am going to be reading The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa later in this month as an ARC, but aside from that April is every bit a catch up month for me, so I am going to try my hardest to get through as much as I can!

What is everyone out there reading at the moment? Share your links below!

Release Date: January 1st 2013
Published By: Simon & Schuster UK
Pages: 305
Goodreads: Add it to your reading list

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis: The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record. The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor’s peaceful suburban community is killing girls.

For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one. Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders? Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.

With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets. She realises that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life - and it’s up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again.

Review: This is the first book of Brenna Yovanoff’s that I have read, but I am most definitely keen to read some of her other books now that I know what her work is like. It was one of those books that I barely knew anything about before I went into it (I’ve been kinda doing that a lot lately by my own admission).. and in this case it worked exceptionally well.

Dark, not afraid to cross genres and most of all strong from start to end, I really enjoyed Paper Valentine. Part paranormal fiction, part murder mystery and part contemporary, this was a beautifully unique blend of genres that hadn’t crossed my mind before.

Hannah has been seeing the ghost of her best friend Lillian for 6 months now. Lillian passed away from anorexia and she follows Hannah just about everywhere. Then the murders start happening in Ludlow. Teenage girls are being killed brutally with small toys being sprinkled around their dead bodies. Hannah is appalled but also morbidly curious about finding out who is behind the murders. And of course, there’s Finny. The object of Hannah’s fantasies. Finny is the bad boy at school, and Hannah can’t help but become drawn to him despite her best attempts not too.

Firstly, I loved the relationship between Hannah and Finny. Going from acquaintances to awkward friendship to their first kiss. Finny is the ultimate example of being misunderstood. Yes, he’s done some bad things before. But he’s also had a really bad life and suffered through some pretty shitty things from the sounds of it before living with his Aunt, whom it’s clear he adores. Maybe it’s me.. I am a sucker for a bad boy, but in this case I think Finny has been judged too soon!

Lillian…. sigh. I didn’t like her character at all. But I learnt to look past her (cause she’s a ghost… get it?! *crickets*) mostly because whilst she is present a lot of the time, it’s background noise a lot of it. I got why she was in this book, I made the connection when I finished this read and could see why she was included, but at the same time, I feel like this book could have very well have been written without her character included and it would have still been as good. I didn’t feel she offered THAT much to the story, except to go into detail about what happened to her - which I feel could have been told by Hannah without Lillian actually being a character in the novel. It didn’t annoy me THAT much. It was the only thing that made me go meh in this book.

The plot was absolutely original and suspenseful. I admittedly didn’t see the twist coming (because I have always been absolutely terrible at these types of guessing games my whole life - I know this will never change, and I accept this about myself) and as soon as it happened I was like OMG I saw that coming all along (I didn’t). I really enjoyed the ending. I thought it was a perfect end to a really entertaining book.

Definitely pick up a copy of this one guys - even if you borrow it from your library like I did. I really enjoyed this!

Goooood morning readers! How are you doing? Did you have a great week in books? I did! Smallish but the quality of books is exciting!

I’m ditching Monday Mailbox for Stacking the Shelves you may have noticed! Not for any other reason other than it was too much doing one post for two memes. So I picked one and STS won!

Stacking the Shelves is bought to you by Tynga from Tynga’s Reviews. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Mila 2.0 (Mila 2.0 #1) - Debra Driza

I’ve been wanting this since only FOREVER!!!!! It’s here, I am so happy! I plan on reading this one SOON!

Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.

Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.

Let The Sky Fall (Let The Sky Fall #1) - Shannon Messenger

Another March release that I am so happy to own now also! What a beautiful cover!

Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

The Nightmare Affair (The Arkwell Academy #1) - Mindee Arnett

Another of my cover loves from March. This book looks SO different and dark… I am very much looking forward to starting this one!

Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare.

Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli’s dream comes true.

Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

Strands of Bronze and Gold (Strands of Bronze and Gold #1) - Jane Nickerson

I’ve been wanting another historical fiction style YA book to wrap my hands around and I believe I’ve found it in Strands of Bronze and Gold. Looks great!

The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

That is all from me this week, what did you receive in your mailboxes? Let me know - leave your links in the comments section below!

Hello readers! Welcome to another edition of nail art inspired by fiction. This weeks nail art is Winnie The Pooh!! Such a classic!

Thoughts: OMG IT’S HERE!!!! Julie Kagawa, easily one of my all time most favourite authors has just released the cover of The Iron Traitor! I got into this series fairly late in the game compared to most, but I think in the space of a month I had read The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, The Iron Queen, The Iron Knight and The Lost Prince. It was a lot of iron books to read in that space, but honestly, I couldn’t get enough. And so I am pumped to see that this is coming out in October (Still… why so far away?!).

In the time being, I am getting my Kagawa fix with The Eternity Cure from her other series “Blood of Eden”. Soooo good.

Synopsis: None… yet! Rest assured when I know more, you will also know more!

Release Date: September 26th 2006
Published By: Image Comics
Pages: 144
Goodreads: Add it to your reading list

Rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis: An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months, society has crumbled: There is no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. Rick Grimes finds himself one of the few survivors in this terrifying future. A couple months ago he was a small town cop who had never fired a shot and only ever saw one dead body. Separated from his family, he must now sort through all the death and confusion to try and find his wife and son. In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally begin living.

Review: I truly feel that even if you don’t enjoy reading comics (or even if you have never read a comic before), you would still love The Walking Dead.

The introduction, written by the author Robert Kirkman tells us that this is the most emotional story he has had to write, with good reason. This might be a series about zombies, yes. But it’s about so much more than that. It’s about people and their relationships. It’s about surviving the worst imaginable elements and trying to protect your loved ones at any cost. And it’s a story of death and loss also. It’s as real and emotional as any fiction book out there with the added benefit of illustrations.

We’re introduced in the beginning to police officer Rick Grimes who was shot and ends up in hospital. Rick has been in a coma for three months and when he wakes up, the hospital is absolutely deserted. He ventures out into the streets, and sees… humans, that aren’t quite human. Without really understanding what has happened, Rick at least understands that something seriously is not right. He runs into some assistance from Morgan and his son Duane who find Rick in the street and explain to him that what he is seeing are “walkers”. Zombies. Rick’s son and wife are missing, and he soon decides he is going to head into the city by all means to see if he can be reunited with his family at a refuge.

Yeah, there’s a whole lot of carnage that ensues. Many zombies, many heads explode. Many of you will be happy to know this comic is in black and white. lol And if the TV show is too gruesome for you, then I highly recommend checking out the comic, since it was easy to digest!

What sets The Walking Dead apart from every other zombie comic on earth is the feels. This book is filled with emotion, and you become emotionally invested in each one of the characters, so when something happens to them or their lives are at risk, you’re right there with them hoping for the best.

I loved this so much, that I’ve gone out and ordered the whole Walking Dead Omnibus Vol 1 from The Book Depository ($50!) which contains this volume, plus more (it’s a whopping 1088 pages), and I intend on ordering the second volume of the Omninus also to complete my collection at some point.

Amazing series!

This is my first graphic novel/comic review. I’m interested in feedback from you - my readers! I normally review only YA novels, but comics are a big part of my life also, and I am keen to add a review every now and then of a comic that has grabbed my interest. I think this will add a new dimension to Book Nerd Reviews. The YA novels are here to stay - these are my passion. But I am interested in adding diversity also!

As a book blogger (and of course book lover!), I inevitably run into the same problem as many of us do - this is the issue of storage. SO many books (and so many being added to the pile every week) and yet so little space.

It seems like I am always bringing new books into my home, and yet no books ever leave. My house will now be referred to as the abyss. ;)

I have book shelves everywhere. And piles of books in random places also.. it’s becoming a problem.

It’s been a long time coming, but I have decided to part with some of my books. *sniff* So many stories… so many memories tied to reading these stories as well. It wasn’t an easy task.

I’ve managed to part with only about 20 books. Some of you may be thinking “only 20!” but to me - that 20 was a huge number! haha And it at least gives me one shelf free right now.

I couldn’t bear to give these books to a second hand shop where they may end up dusty on the shelves for who knows how long. I want these to go to someone who will love them, so I reached out locally. I know of a young girl who adores the same kind of books I love reading, and so my first offer will be to her to take any of the books she wants. Any left over from that (if at all) I am thinking of giving to my local library because I know they will at least be read and loved!

Sounds like I am parting with something bigger than books. But to me, they’re special. Is it sappy that I want for them to have a good home? haha I don’t even care.

So starts my spring cleaning! I need to do this more often. I can’t part with my most loved books (and won’t). But the books I enjoyed, but won’t read again, I am going to start passing on to others. That’s what books are for - to be read and loved!

Does anyone else find the thought of parting with their books difficult? Or am I more materialistic than I thought I was?

It’s Wednesday which means it’s time to tell you what I have been up to for the past week! W..W..W.. Wednesdays is a weekly meme bought to you by MizB from Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff. I am only in the beginning stages so far, but it’s quite dark in a quirky way. Should be interesting!

What did you recently finish reading?

In the last week I have finished reading In The Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters, If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch as well as The Walking Dead Vol 1: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman (Graphic novel/comic). The review of Blackbirds and If You Find Me is up on the site, and The Walking Dead review I hope to have up on Friday!

What do you think you’ll read next?

I really want to catch up on some reads that have been on my TBR like Sever by Lauren DeStefano, Reached by Allie Condie, The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult. April is every bit a catch up month for me, so I am going to try my hardest to get through as much as I can!

What is everyone out there reading at the moment? Share your links below!

Release Date: March 26 2013
Published By: St. Martin’s Griffin
Pages: 256
Goodreads: Add it to your reading list

Rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis:

There are some things you can’t leave behind…

A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency. Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and two strangers arrive. Suddenly, the girls are taken from the woods and thrust into a bright and perplexing new world of high school, clothes and boys.

Now, Carey must face the truth of why her mother abducted her ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go… a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.

Review: If You Find me is the story of Carey and her younger sister Jenessa who are taken away from their father at a young age by their meth addicted mother where they hide away in a makeshift home, deep in the hundred acre woods. There, over many years these two girls are subjected to a life that is unimaginable. They live on beans, their mother is often missing for weeks at a time scoring drugs and getting money any way she can, even if that means her daughters are sexually assaulted for money. This time, their mother has been missing for 5 weeks - the longest the girls have ever gone without their mother.

A social worker and the girls father find them after their mother says she can no longer look after them. Carey’s father takes both the girls in to try and provide them with a better life. But these girls have been through so much trauma - (most of which their dad has no idea about) that it’s going to be a long road ahead for them to get better.

Ugh this book tore my heart out, broke it, and then placed it back into my chest all in little bits and pieces. It was such an emotional book, and it’s effects stayed with me for a long while after I finished reading it. You know when you get that lump in your throat when you’re reading it? Right around page 244 I was right there - tears welling up in my eyes. It was a hard topic to have to read about in such detail, but my goodness - it was so well written and such an amazing story.

The difference between this book and other contemporary YA of a similar nature is that with others I am taken on the journey and I enjoy the narrative and plot but I know it’s fiction. This book - it felt real. It felt like the auto-biography of someone that had actually experienced this - it was that powerful.

This book does contain scenes that are quite disturbing in nature, so if you’re someone that is sensitive to things like that, this may not be the book for you. That being said, the story is an important one, and I felt the ending was perfect. I would HIGHLY recommend this book.

It’s the end of an era. Google Reader is going to be no more. Which sucks… because this is how I have always preferred to read my favourite blogs all in one place. It was convenient - you add in the URL’s of all the blogs you love, and it presents them on one feed in order for you to scroll through and enjoy. How good is that?

So now I’ve been on the hunt for something to replace Google Reader and I think I’ve found it. It’s called Blog Lovin’. How does it work? You sign up, either through email or through your Facebook account, and if you’ve used Google Reader previously like I have, it imports all of your blogs over for you (I was most impressed with this aspect of it - not having to manually import my blogs!). And the presentation of the blogs is pretty good too really!

So those of you who are using Google Reader to follow Book Nerd Reviews, I’m going to suggest you find a new way of following. Whether it’s subscribing to the blog via email (to the right), RSS or if you’re going to jump aboard the Blog Lovin express, you can follow me there!

Here’s how: Follow my blog with Bloglovin

If you have other suggestions for me to make it easier for you to follow me, you can always let me know via inbox (booknerdreviews@gmail.com) or Twitter (@booknerdreviews).

x

Good morning! Today, I am sharing the upcoming releases due out in April that I am looking forward to reading! Soooooo many good titles coming out this month!

April 2nd

In The Shadow of Blackbirds - Cat Winters

In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. Americans roam the streets in gauze masks to ward off the deadly Spanish influenza, and the government ships young men to the front lines of a brutal war, creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, but she herself has never believed in ghosts. During her bleakest moment, however, she’s forced to rethink her entire way of looking at life and death, for her first love—a boy who died in battle—returns in spirit form. But what does he want from her?

Featuring haunting archival early-twentieth-century photographs, this is a tense, romantic story set in a past that is eerily like our own time.

This Is What Happy Looks Like - Jennifer E Smith

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O’Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie’s Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media’s spotlight at all costs?

My Life After Now - Jessica Verdi

Lucy just had the worst week ever. Seriously, mega bad. And suddenly, it’s all too much—she wants out. Out of her house, out of her head, out of her life. She wants to be a whole new Lucy. So she does something the old Lucy would never dream of.

And now her life will never be the same. Now, how will she be able to have a boyfriend? What will she tell her friends? How will she face her family?

Now her life is completely different…every moment is a gift. Because now she might not have many moments left.

Rise (Eve #3) - Anna Carey
How far will you go when you have nothing left to lose?

When she lost her soul mate, Caleb, Eve felt like her world had ended. Trapped in the palace, forced to play the part of the happy, patriotic princess of The New America—and the blushing bride of her father’s top adviser—Eve’s whole life is a lie. The only thing that keeps her going is Caleb’s memory, and the revolution he started.

Now, Eve is taking over where Caleb left off. With the help of Moss, an undercover subversive in the King’s court, she plots to take down The New America, beginning with the capital, the City of Sand. Will Eve be able to bring about a new, free world when she’s called upon to perform the ultimate act of rebellion—killing her father?

In Rise, Eve must choose who to leave behind, who to save, and who to fight as Anna Carey’s epic tale of romance and sacrifice in the chilling dystopia of The New America comes to a stunning conclusion.

April 4th

White Lines - Jennifer Banash

A gritty, atmospheric coming of age tale set in 1980s New York City.

Seventeen-year-old Cat is living every teenager’s dream: she has her own apartment on the Lower East Side and at night she’s club kid royalty, guarding the velvet rope at some of the hottest clubs in the city. The night with its crazy, frenetic, high-inducing energy—the pulsing beat of the music, the radiant, joyful people and those seductive white lines that can ease all pain—is when Cat truly lives. But her daytime, when real life occurs, is more nightmare than dream. Having spent years suffering her mother’s emotional and physical abuse, and abandoned by her father, Cat is terrified and alone—unable to connect to anyone or anything. But when someone comes along who makes her want to truly live, she’ll need to summon the courage to confront her demons and take control of a life already spinning dangerously out of control.

April 9th

The Shadow Girl - Jennifer Archer

Sometimes I forget for an hour or two that she’s with me. Sometimes I convince myself that she was only a dream. Or that I’m crazy.

For as long as Lily Winston can remember, she has never been alone. Iris, a shadowy figure who mimics Lily’s movements and whispers in her ear, is with her always—but invisible to the rest of the world. Iris is Lily’s secret.

But when Lily’s father is killed in a tragic accident, his cryptic final words suggest that he and Lily’s mother have been keeping secrets of their own. Suddenly, Iris begins pushing Lily more than ever, possessing her thoughts and urging her to put together the pieces of a strange puzzle her father left behind. As she searches for answers, Lily finds herself drawn to Ty Collier, a mysterious new boy in town. Together, Lily and Ty must untangle a web of deception to discover the truth about her family, Iris . . . and Lily’s own identity.

April 16th

Taken (Taken #1) - Erin Bowman

There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

April 23rd

The Elite (The Selection #2) - Keira Cass

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) - Julie Kagawa

In Allison Sekemoto’s world, there is one one rule left: Blood Calls to blood.
Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire, Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie’s birthplace in New Covington, what she finds there will the change the world forever - and possibly end human and vampire existence.

There’s a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago - deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries. If Allie can get to him in time…

Pretty Dark Nothing - Heather L Reid

It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.

April 25th

Acid - Emma Pass

2113. In Jenna Strong’s world, ACID – the most brutal, controlling police force in history – rule supreme. No throwaway comment or muttered dissent goes unnoticed – or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a bloody crime she struggles to remember.

The only female inmate in a violent high-security prison, Jenna has learned to survive by any means necessary. And when a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID – and to uncover the truth about what really happened on that dark night two years ago.

 

April 30th

The Program (Program #1) - Suzanne Young

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

Sweet Peril (The Sweet Trilogy #2) - Wendy Higgins

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

Life After Theft - Aprilynne Pike

Moving to a new high school sucks. Especially a rich-kid private school. With uniforms. But nothing is worse than finding out the first girl you meet is dead. And a klepto.

No one can see or hear Kimberlee except Jeff, so-in hopes of bringing an end to the snarkiest haunting in history-he agrees to help her complete her “unfinished business.” But when the enmity between Kimberlee and Jeff’s new crush, Sera, manages to continue posthumously, Jeff wonders if he’s made the right choice.

Clash meets sass in this uproarious modern-day retelling of Baroness Orczy’s The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Belonging (Temptation #2) - Karen Ann Hopkins

I left everything I knew behind.

But it was worth it. He was worth it.

No one thought an ordinary girl like me would last two minutes living with the Amish, not even me. There are a lot more rules and a lot less freedom, and I miss my family and the life I once had. Worst of all, Noah and I aren’t even allowed to see each other. Not until I’ve proven myself.

If I can find a way to make it work, we’ll be NOAH & ROSE together forever.

But not everybody believes this is where I belong.

OMG guys!!! April 24th marks two full years since this site was born, and not only can I believe that I finally found something I love enough to stick with for this long, I am still enjoying it immensely and am telling you now that this is one birthday of many to come!

I like birthdays. I like making people happy also. So this month, there are going to be a bigger selection of books to choose from and there are going to be many more winners than the standard two per month that I’ve been having at the moment!

In April, five…… (FIVE!!!) winners will each get to select one of the below books of their choice. All of these books are brand spanking new April releases and there are some amazing titles to choose from! I am pumped! Anyone can enter, as long as The Book Depository delivers to you!

You can choose from:

Taken (Taken #1) - Erin Bowman
The Elite (The Selection #2) - Keira Cass
The Program (Program #1) - Suzanne Young
The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) - Julie Kagawa
In the Shadow of Blackbirds - Cat Winters
White Lines - Jennifer Banash
Belonging (Temptation #2) - Karen Ann Hopkins
Acid - Emma Pass
Life After Theft - Aprilynne Pike
Rise (Eve #3) - Anna Carey
The Shadow Girl - Jennifer Archer
This Is What Happy Looks Like - Jennifer E Smith
Sweet Peril (The Sweet Trilogy #2) - Wendy Higgins
My Life After Now - Jessica Verdi
Pretty Dark Nothing - Heather L Reid

Entering is really easy! Everyone gets a free entry and then you get more entries for liking things like Book Nerd’s facebook page, twitter etc in the Rafflecopter below!

Good luck everyone! Giveaway ends on April 30th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway