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Showing posts with label bree despain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bree despain. Show all posts

March's Brood of Bookalicious Brews

Hey, there! So you might be wondering, what is Brood of Bookalicious Brews?

Really, it's a simple post dedicated to showcasing new releases within the month that I haven't read yet!

It's a little reminiscent of The Story Siren's Books to Pine For posts, however this post will be featured monthly and is only limited to my choice of books releasing within the month.



Spell Bound (#3)
by Rachel Hawkins

March 13, 2012
» Disney Hyperion «
DO NOT READ IF YOU'VE NEVER READ THE SERIES.

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

Why I Want to Read It: Ya'll had to know this one was coming, right? Cos, BRO, that ending was unreal. I can't even... I'm just so anxious to see in what way Hawkins has tied the bow, so to speak. I like Cal, okay, but I need to know if Sophie and Archer can have a future together *throws palms up in defense*. Archer is sarcastic, swoon-worthy, and kick-ass. There is nothing that boy can't do. And I'm just not over him.


Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters
by Meredith Zeitlin

March 1, 2012
» Putnam Juvenile «
Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.

Things start out great - her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.

Kelsey’s hilarious commentary throughout her disastrous freshman year will have you laughing out loud—while being thankful that you’re not in her shoes, of course…

Why I Want to Read It: I LIKE HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA. *face-to-palm* I love it, and I just can't help it. It's why I can't get over my addiction to teen television dramas, not to mention because I, you know, AM a teen, but that's besides the point. The point is... I like a girl who can speak her mind, a moan and groan kind of character but one who also arms herself with sheer wit and sarcasm to counteract the negativity. One who refrains from pulling the Whining So Much She Deserves A Smack routine. I like the funny, so give me the funny.


Pretty Crooked
by Elisa Ludwig

March 13, 2012
» Katherine Tegen Books/HarperTeen «
Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.

Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”-known to everyone as the Glitterati-without them suspecting a thing, is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.

The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her-evening the social playing field between the have and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.

But when the cops start investigating the string of burglaries at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could he wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?(

Why I Want to Read It: Did you guys know that this bad boy is going to be a series? I sure as heck didn't. And, not going to lie, that kind of takes the shine off of this one. I seriously don't see, from the reviews I've read, how this can evolve into a series in a manner that's actually appealing. But, WHATEVS. Who am I to make that call, right? Another cutesy-looking read is just what I need to counterbalance the angstiness of my more usual paranormal romance reads. I also like that it's based a bit on Robin Hood though set in a contemporary setting. That's kind of... ingenious. Whether or not Willa will rise to the occasion remains to be seen, but it should be fun getting under that cover *waggles eyebrows*.


The Savage Grace
(#3)
by Bree Despain

March 13, 2012
» Egmont USA «
DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST TWO BOOKS IN THE SERIES.

A troubled soul. An impossible choice. A final battle.

Wrestling with the werewolf curse pulsing deep inside of her, Grace Divine was finally able to find her brother, but it nearly cost her everything.

With her boyfriend, Daniel, stuck in wolf form and Sirhan's death approaching, time is running out for Grace to stop Caleb Kalbi and his gang of demons. If she fails, her family and hometown will perish. Everything rests on Grace's shoulders.

The final installment in The Dark Divine trilogy brings Daniel and Grace's love story to a breathtaking conclusion.

Why I Want to Read It: So, technically, I don't have any right to be pining for this one since The Lost Saint has been sitting in my Kindle, untouched, for months. But, I did what any curious soul would do: I peeked at the summary. Now, I'm thinking, HOLY COW BABIES, ALL THE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED ALREADY AND... AND.. WHERE THE HECK WAS I? It's very clear that I have to read The Lost Saint at the first opportunity so I can dig right into The Savage Grace ASAP.

What January releases have you doing the antsy-pants dance?

Review: The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

The Dark Divine (Book 1)
Author: Bree Despain (BlogTwitter)
Release Date: 12/22/09 (Hardcover)
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Age Group: Young Adult (14+)
Source: Public Library (Local)
Overall Feelings: Impressive, wondrous!

(Summary) I've got nothin' but pure love for The Dark Divine. TDD wastes no time at all. The first few pages sucked me right in, and after that, the hours all just seemed to blur together, until before I knew it, I was finished and sated.

As far as beginnings go, Despain nailed it right it on the head. Right off, you're taken to see Grace's (the heroine's) first encounter with bad boy and runaway, Daniel Kalib, after x amount of years:

"'Stop it,' I said. 'That's mine. Give it back." I grabbed at the paper but he pulled it away. 'Hand it over!'
    'Kiss me,' he said.
    I heard April yelp.
    'What?' I asked. 
    He leaned over the drawing. His face was still obscured by his shaggy hair, but a black stone pendant slipped out of his shirt, 'Kiss me, and I'll give it back.'
    I grabbed his hand that held the charcoal. 'Who the hell do you think you are?'
    'So you don't recognize me?' He looked up and pushed his hair out of his face. His cheeks were pale and hollow, but it was his eyes that made me gasp. The same dark eyes I used to call 'mud pies.'
    'Daniel?' I let go of his hand. The charcoal pencil plinked onto the table. A million questions slammed against one another in my brain..." (6).

So, I was left wondering what the heck happened between these two that Grace is so shocked in seeing him again. And you see, that's the thing. The Dark Divine entangles sad histories and secrets; a dark, deeply thrilling mystery; curious murders and brutal, cutting mutilations; profound, vulnerable, relatable characters; and fascinating mythology quite neatly incorporated into the everyday. What more could you want?

There's so many aspects of this book to love: the angst, the suspicion, the supernatural, the characters...Oh, the characters! What beautifully written characters there are! Grace's day-to-day struggle to live up to everyone's expectations, everyone's preconceived ideas, being the town pastor's daughter and having a name like Grace Divine. Jude, Grace's brother, the epitome of outer perfection, the town's angel-boy so to speak, with a tiny, concealed rotten core of anger, jealousy, and hate. Daniel facing his inner demons, his brutal past, and a frightening, supernatural truth; a dark boy who has never known love, at least not until the Divine family. And Pastor Divine, or Grace's beloved father, being constantly looked to to perform miracles, the nearly impossible, as if he were the Good Lord himself, expected to save everyone. And if you can't relate to any of the characters, you can surely sympathize with many of them.

The plot didn't fail, quickly, incessantly moving toward the point, the core of the story, while still managing to be intriguing and engaging. The intensity of it all didn't die. And when the big mystery is unveiled, there's still so much more up 'til the end.

And that ending! Wonderful, simply wonderful...and satisfying. While the novel did end in a way that implies that there will be a sequel (which there will be), thankfully, The Dark Divine did not close on a cliffhanger. Instead, the ending left me gratified and pleased, while having me anxious to get to the next one, The Lost Saint. Trust me, you do not want to miss out on the The Dark Divine. It's just too good.

Thanks for reading!

Check out The Lost Saint: Coming 12/28/10