Stacking the Shelves #12 November Haul

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a great way to showcase books you've recently added to your bookshelves. It 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!

But for my STS, I'll be showing here only the physical copies of books I recently owned/borrowed/won. eBooks/eARCs will be showcased on my In My Mailbox posts.


So... NOVEMBER IS A MONTH OF ARCS!!! HOORAY!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH STRANGE CHEMISTRY, EXHIBIT A, AND HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS FOR THE ARCS! 





Bought from National Book Store:

Bought from Fully Booked:


How about you? What's added to your haul? :)

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Book Review: THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green

The Fault In Our Stars
by John Green
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Published: January 23rd 2013 by Dutton Books
Acquired Format: Paperback
Source: Fully Booked

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

INSIGHTFUL, BOLD, IRREVERENT, AND RAW, The Fault in Our Stars is an award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17289350-the-fault-in-our-stars

MY REVIEW

Before anything else, I would like to share my brief history when I first tried to buy a copy of this book. As a broke college student who depends on her allowance, I sacrificed my daily food expenses to buy this book. I heard so many positive feedbacks and I just know I shouldn't miss this one. So when my money was enough and I was so stoked into buying it, it turned out to be a bad day for me -- the bookstore ran out of copies. Depressed, I bought another book instead. And being such a bad day, exactly after paying for the 'other' book, I saw the saleslady putting up new stocks on the shelves. I thought the book wasn't really for me, so I never tried or planned on buying a copy again.

Four months later... 


THIS. BOOK. IS. AH-MAZING.
“Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.”
Hazel Grace Lancaster. I love how she was able to fully accept her death, how she was prepared for it, but I hate it when I realized how weak she was. Her parents tried to make her live like any normal and healthy teenager but she refused it. Good thing she met Augustus Waters. Gus, for short, is a cancer survivor. He's been strong throughout his cancer life. He lived and fell inlove like any other teenager. I love his metaphorical sense over a lot of things. He gave meaning to Hazel's meaningless life; he gave them colors. He remained strong until the end. He remained strong for Hazel.
“It's a metaphor, see: You put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you don't give it the power to do its killing.”

I loved every single word. It's been a long time since a book was able to touch my heart like this. Yeah, I read some books weeks ago that made me cry, but the tears from this heartbreaking novel was different. I cried for an hour inside the bathroom, while taking a shower. I was crying the whole time, staring at my reflection at the mirror. And I know I will still cry right now just by the thoughts of it.
“That's the thing about pain," Augustus said, and then glanced back at me. "It demands to be felt”
The ending, though...

I'm not really satisfied with it. I have some questions left unanswered like was Gus able to write a sequel to An Imperial Affliction meets The Price of Dawn for Hazel? Hmmm. Looks like I have to e-mail and ask the author himself. I wonder if he'll reply.

And if he does, I won't share it because I'm a terrible selfish person.

MY RATING
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Green

John Green's first novel, Looking for Alaska, won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award presented by the American Library Association. His second novel, An Abundance of Katherines, was a 2007 Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His next novel, Paper Towns, is a New York Times bestseller and won the Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best YA Mystery. In January 2012, his most recent novel, The Fault in Our Stars, was met with wide critical acclaim, unprecedented in Green's career. The praise included rave reviews in Time Magazine and The New York Times, on NPR, and from award-winning author Markus Zusak. The book also topped the New York Times Children's Paperback Bestseller list for several weeks. Green has also coauthored a book with David Levithan called Will Grayson, Will Grayson, published in 2010. The film rights for all his books, with the exception of Will Grayson Will Grayson, have been optioned to major Hollywood Studios.

In 2007, John and his brother Hank were the hosts of a popular internet blog, "Brotherhood 2.0," where they discussed their lives, books and current events every day for a year except for weekends and holidays. They still keep a video blog, now called "The Vlog Brothers," which can be found on the Nerdfighters website, or a direct link here.

Author Links:


“Some people don't understand the promises they're making when they make them," I said.
"Right, of course. But you keep the promise anyway. That's what love is. Love is keeping the promise anyway.”

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Book Blast: THE FLOWERING SERIES by Sarah Daltry


Lily of the Valley
by Sarah Daltry
Series: Lily of the Valley #1.5
Genre: New Adult Romance
Published September 26th 2013
Purchase: Amazon

You met them in Forget Me Not. Now, hear Jack’s story.

Plagued by a dark past, Jack sees college as a way out. Desperate to escape the area where he grew up, the people who know his secrets, and his own family, he deals with his problems through alcohol and sex.

When he first sees Lily, she’s the epitome of everything he hates. Yet something about her makes Jack rethink everything he knows and assumes about other people. Now, with the help of his best friend and lover, Jack has to decide if he wants to pursue something that he knows will only end badly.

Can Lily be one of the few people who can see Jack for who he really is – or will his darkness be too much for her to handle?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18231760-lily-of-the-valley


The Flowering Series
by Sarah Daltry


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Sarah Daltry

Sarah Daltry writes about the regular people who populate our lives. She’s written works in various genres – romance, erotica, fantasy, horror. Genre isn’t as important as telling a story about people and how their lives unfold. Sarah tends to focus on YA/NA characters but she’s been known to shake it up. Most of her stories are about relationships – romantic, familial, friendly – because love and empathy are the foundation of life. It doesn’t matter if the story is set in contemporary NY, historical Britain, or a fantasy world in the future – human beings are most interesting in the ways they interact with others. This is the principle behind all of Sarah’s stories.

Sarah has spent most of her life in school, from her BA and MA in English and writing to teaching both at the high school and college level. She also loves studying art history and really anything because learning is fun.

When Sarah isn’t writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking Facebook for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window.


Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr


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Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: JADED STONE by Kelly Walker


In Cornerstone, Valencia Roth died to protect her daughter. In Jaded Stone, she'll live for her.

Twenty years before the events of Cornerstone, Valencia Roth is the Crown Princess of Sheas, as lonely as she is privileged. She wants for nothing, except a clear path toward peace for her land. She’s always known personal happiness might not be in The Three’s plan for her. As the future ruler of Sheas, and a Cornerstone, her life belongs to her people.

But when Valencia meets the charming Reid Hendel, she dares to believe love could be within her reach. That is, if they can both survive long enough for it to blossom. A new threat prowls the land, and she’s their primary target. Armed with stubborn pride and all the resources of Sheas, she fears nothing—until her brother leads her intended directly into the fray and at least one of them doesn’t return.

Burdened with grief, Valencia must carve her own path forward. From the forge of chaos, a new era will be born.



Giveaway



About Kelly Walker

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Kelly Walker is a YA and NA author of several romantic titles, including the Souls of the Stones series. She has an unhealthy appreciation for chocolate, and a soft spot for rescued animals. Her best lessons on writing came from a lifetime of reading. She loves the fantastical, and the magical, and believes a captivating romance can be the most realistic magic of all. Kelly, her husband and her two children share their Virginia home with three dogs who walk her, and two cats who permit her to occasionally share their couch.


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Stacking the Shelves #11 National Book Store Warehouse Sale Book Haul

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a great way to showcase books you've recently added to your bookshelves. It 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!

But for my STS, I'll be showing here only the physical copies of books I recently owned/borrowed/won. eBooks/eARCs will be showcased on my In My Mailbox posts.


So, last November 14-19, 2013,  National Book Store once again gave book hoarders the opportunity to hoard more books by having a Warehouse Sale with up to 80% off discount on books and other school supplies. I surely wouldn't want to miss this so I grabbed one of my bestfriends, who also happened to be a bookworm herself. :)

This year, I decided to have more vampire books. I love vampire books to death, so, here's the list of what's added to my haul:


1.


How about you? What's added to your haul? :)

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Nerd Blast + Giveaway: SOMETHING GREAT by M. Clarke


Something Great
by M. Clarke
Genre: New Adult Romance
Published July 4th 2013

She didn’t know what she was missing…until he found her.

Maxwell Knight was positively trouble, dangerously good-looking, and seductively charming. He was everything Jeanella didn’t need in her life. Only Maxwell didn’t see it that way. His pursuit was relentless, making her even more determined to push him away.

Fresh out of college, life was simple and plain for Jeanella Mefferd. Every part of her life was smooth sailing; her friends, her job, and even the guy she’d started dating. Then one night, while at dinner, she spotted someone who made her feel things she’d never felt before—dangerous, heart pounding and breathless heat. Thinking she would never see him again, she brushed it off, but when she started to run into him unexpectedly, all she could think of was how he made her feel with his sweet flirtations. Everything about Maxwell Knight screamed trouble, especially when she found out he was her new boss’s son. Now, heading to a New York fashion show, would she be able to focus on her career instead of Maxwell, who had been scheduled to attend with her? As much as she tried to forget their encounters, his good looks, smooth words and determination to win her over gravitated her toward him. The next thing she knew, her mind was utterly consumed by him. Would she be willing to ignore all the dangerous signs and jump into his arms? Or would she miss out on the chance of finding something great?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17998741-something-great?ac=1

    
 


BOOK TRAILER


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M. Clarke

M. Clarke also known as Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.

Author Links:




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Nerd Blast + Giveaway: ETERNAL ECHOES by Angela Corbett


Eternal Echoes
by Angela Corbett
Series: Emblem of Eternity #2
Genre: New Adult Paranormal
Published November 19th 2013 by Midnight Sands Publishing

She thought she stopped the evil.

She thought she was safe.

Everything she thought was wrong.

Almost four months have passed since Evie Starling learned she was a Tracker and helped defeat a Daevos Clan that was taking others like her—but that wasn’t the end of the abductions. As an unknown evil emerges, Evie vows to help solve the mystery of the missing Trackers, regardless of the risk.

With new powers she doesn’t understand and can’t control, she turns to Alex and Emil, her two soul mates, for help. But her feelings for them both are tearing her apart. She knows she has to decide between them; however, her memories are only making that choice more difficult.

As the world around her is thrown into chaos, Evie is confronted with what could be a destiny-altering truth. Will she accept her history, her memories, and her role in this life, or choose to ignore the echoes of her past?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17450280-eternal-echoes?ac=1

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angela Corbett


As a child, Angela Corbett’s most prized possession was a set of read-along books. She used to follow along with the narrator on the stereo and dream of when she would be able to read by herself. Her childhood reading habit led her to consider her future career. However, after consulting with her parents, she realized she had already exceeded hobbit height and since fairies and dragonslayers were tricky jobs to get, she decided she wanted to create worlds of her own. She started writing poetry in elementary school and worked as a journalist in high school and college, but could never leave her love for writing fiction behind.

She is a graduate of Westminster College where she double majored in communication and sociology. She has worked as a journalist, freelance writer, and director of communications and marketing. She loves classic cars, traveling, and escaping in a good book. She lives in Utah with her incredibly supportive husband and their five-pound Pomeranian, Pippin, whose following of fangirls could rival Justin Bieber's.

Eternal Starling is her debut novel and the first book in the Emblem of Eternity trilogy. 


Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter


GIVEAWAY

7 Winners will receive an E-Copy of  Eternal Echoes by Angela Corbett.
2 Winners will receive a Copy of  Eternal Echoes & Swag by Angela Corbett.
 
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Blog Tour Excerpt + Giveaway: ENTANGLEMENT by Dan Rix


Entanglement
by Dan Rix
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Purchase link: Amazon

"...the scientific explanation is quantum entanglement, whereby the boy and girl—even when separated by great distances—react instantaneously to changes in each other's states..." —Dr. Casler Selavio, on the entanglement of halves.

In a world like ours, humans are born in pairs. When a newborn boy takes his first breath in the coastal town of Tularosa, the exact time is noted, recorded in the Registry, and later compared to the birth times of other newborns around the globe. There will be one identical match—his half. They will meet on their eighteenth birthday and they will spend their lives together. Except this time, there is no match.

Hotheaded heartthrob Aaron Harper is scheduled to meet his half in twenty-nine days, and he doesn’t buy a word of that entanglement crap. So what if he and his half were born the same day and share a spooky psychic connection? Big deal. After breaking one too many teenage girls’ hearts, he’ll stick to brawling with the douchebag rugby players any day.

Until the day a new girl arrives at school and threatens everything he takes for granted.

Cold and unapproachable, Amber Lilian hates the growing list of similarities between her and the one boy she can’t read, Aaron: born the same day, both stubborn, both terrified of meeting their halves. . . . All the more reason not to trust him. That she would rather die than surrender herself as her half’s property is none of his damn business. But once lost in Aaron’s dangerous, jet black eyes, she’s already surrendered more than she cares to admit.

Tangled in each other’s self-destructive lives, Aaron and Amber learn the secret behind their linked births and why they feel like halves—but unless they can prove it before they turn eighteen, Aaron faces a lifetime alone in a world where everyone else has a soul mate . . . and he’ll have to watch Amber give herself to a boy who intends to possess not only her body but also a chunk of her soul.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17724961-entanglement?ac=1

EXCERPT



Emma Mist came in late and slogged to her seat, and Aaron noticed something off about her. Her face was pale, and her hair, usually full and glossy, looked wilted. He caught her eye as she slumped into her seat, and Aaron knew this was his chance to apologize. Before she could look away, he mouthed, “Can we please talk?



She stared at him, her brown eyes clouded by weariness, then gave a stiff nod. Aaron felt a weight off his chest already.



But while his eyes were still on her, her back arched suddenly. She gasped, and her bony shoulders tensed before she fell forward, shivering. Students’ heads swiveled toward her, and Mr. Sanders, who had started his lecture, trailed off.



Emma!” Their teacher ran to her desk and knelt beside her. “Emma, talk to me—what’s wrong?”



She clutched her stomach, and a tear slid down her cheek from her wide, terrified eyes.



“Is it a stomach ache?” said Mr. Sanders.



When Emma spoke, her voice was a whimper. Almost too low to hear across a classroom, but Aaron heard.



“I…I can’t feel him,” she said, and another tear splattered on her desk. “I can’t feel my half.”



“Let’s get you to the nurse,” said Mr. Sanders, helping her to her feet. “It’s going to be fine.”



Emma touched the back of her own head, winced, and collapsed against his chest. She was breathing too fast, hyperventilating.



Mr. Sanders looped his arm behind her knees, scooped her up, and carried her to the door. Only Buff ran forward to help. The rest of the class sat white-faced and frozen.



Mr. Sanders addressed them before he left. “Explain how the discovery of halves pushed the world toward greater international cooperation in the late thirties, I want at least a page from each of you when I get back—and NO talking!”



Then the door slammed.



All eyes turned on Aaron. Nervous, shifty-eyed stares, wary of his reaction to what had just happened to his ex-girlfriend. They knew the symptoms.



Her half was dead.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Dan Rix


Dan Rix majored in Architecture at UC Berkeley and considers himself lucky to have graduated during one of the worst housing market crashes of the century. "It made writing an easy choice," he says.

His favorite novels include Michael Grant's Gone, Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why, and Dan Brown's, The Da Vinci Code. High stakes, high concept page-turners. That's what he likes to read, and that's what he likes to write.

Dan lives in Santa Barbara, California with his girlfriend. His debut thriller, Entanglement , is available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Author Links:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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