My Big, Fat TBR Pile (1)

Curious about the latest book releases? Wants to see some covers that'll send you into fits of book lust? Or maybe learn of books you've never heard of before that will potentially leave you aching to get your hands on 'em? Well, then welcome to My Big, Fat TBR Pile, where I'll be highlighting my five most recent additions to my to-read list (excluding those non-YA novels considering that this a YA-focused book blog). And what a list I have for you this week! The following books will certainly help your future reads list grow!

Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher

Release Date: 10/18/07 (Hardcover)
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 288

I'm incredibly moved by the premise of this novel! Thirteen Reasons Why focuses on the suicide of a high school girl who explains in vivid detail the reasons for her decision to end her life to thirteen people via audiotapes. The story is told in a dual perspective between the girl explaining her story through the tapes, and the boy listening to the tapes who, by extension, was partially responsible for this lone girl's decision to commit suicide. The novel apparently gives glimpses as to "how brutal high school can be" and reminds others "the consequences of spreading rumors," making it sound utterly heartbreaking and painful!

Teen Book Review, who clearly liked and enjoyed this book, gives five stars over to this novel, writing, "THIRTEEN REASONS WHY is a powerful debut from a talented new voice in YA literature....This painfully honest story will stay in the minds of readers long after the final page." While Bibliophile Brouhaha was more angered by it than anything, when she writes, "In the beginning, she initially seemd to take pleasure in the shock and horror she knew she was giving the tapes' recipients...This set the tone before I heard the 'whys', and for me, overshadowed the actual pain people put her through and made her death feel like a well-constructed component in a plan to have the last, sick laugh. It made me so angry!"

Well, what do you think? Worth the time to read it? Add this novel to your Goodreads to-read pile.

Elsewhere

by Gabrielle Zevin

Release Date: 5/15/07 (Paperback)
Publisher: Square Fish
Pages: 304

The novel lured me in with this particular cover, which I can only assume is the UK cover, thankfully exhibited by the lovely Amber from Books of Amber who stopped by the blog to lead me over to a wonderful IMM over at her blog where I got a glimpse of this cover. I was intrigued enough to want to know more, and voila! What do you know? Elsewhere is now on my TBR list. The idea behind this novel is just marvelous! Here, the heroine, find herself in a place called Elsewhere after she dies, a place similar to Earth yet so very different. In this new place, time will reverse causing her to age backward until she becomes a tiny infant once more and is more or less reincarnated on Earth (at least that's how I'm interpreting it). Liz, the heroine, is none to pleased, however, that she should be turning fourteen and not sixteen as she desires and is stuck living with a (I assume) dead grandmother she hardly knows. Sounds like another tragic tale of loss and heartbreak to me, though it still captivates my interest!

However, after reading a few reviews, like one from Zen Leaf, I'm a tad skeptical. A lot of people didn't find this book as amazing as I'm anticipating it to be. In fact, some have gone as far as to say that it was somewhat forgettable... One way to find out, right?

Add this novel to your Goodreads to-read pile.

Drink, Slay, Love

by Sarah Beth Durst

Release Date: 9/13/11 (hardcover)
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Pages: 320

First, the cover is so pretty. Love it! And it's about vampires and--get this--WERE-UNICORNS! Holy crap! If that doesn't sound like a particular fascinating and amazing read, I don't know what does.

Sadly, they don't give us too much of a summary here, too much to go on, "What happens when a vampire is stabbed through the heart by a were-unicorn? She suddenly develops a very inconvenient conscience. Oops."

Still, I'm very excited! :)

Add this novel to your Goodreads to-read pile.

The Goddess Test

by Aimee Carter

Release Date: 4/19/11 (Paperback)
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 304

Now, this one sounds crazy good! The Goddess Test is following the obvious trend of Hades, the greek God of the Underworld, for this year. There are many books coming out where he is featured in the novel like Alexandra Adornetto's Halo sequel which I believe is actually called Hades and Sirenz by Charlotte Bennardo & Natalie Zaman, all with different variations. This one, however, reminds of the story of Persophone a little bit. The heroine, Kate, has a dying mother when she meets Henry who claims to be Hades. Henry apparently makes her a deal: if she passes seven tests her mother will live in exchange for becoming Henry's future bride and a goddess. If she fails...well, they don't mention the consequences. But, I'm dying to know!

Add this novel to your Goodreads to-read pile.

Black Swan Rising

by Lee Carroll

Release Date: 7/22/10 (Paperback)
Publisher: Bantam Press
Pages: 400

This is probably one of the novels I'm most anticipating! I'm dying of curiosity to find out just what the heck is going on in this book. Vampires and fairies and a nearly unstoppable force released from it's containment of a silver box, in which the heroine had actually opened, now making her part of a centuries old prophecy?! That's a lot to deal with, yet I'm still super excited!

Asamum Booktopia describes this read as an "engrossing narrative, a completely seductive page turner, in short I could not put it down." Can't wait!

Add this novel to your Goodreads to-read pile.