Waiting on Wednesday 73: The Goddess Inheritance

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Name: The Goddess Inheritance

Author: Aimee Carter

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: February 26th, 2013

384 pages

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Summary:
love or life.
Henry or their child.
The end of her family or the end of the world.
Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity.

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Ah I love this series..and I can't wait to read The Goddess Inheritance!! Especially after the epic cliffhanger of the last book..I need to see what happens to Kate! I also love the cover of this book..its gorgeous!

What are you waiting for this week? Let me know in the comments!

Destroy Me (Shatter Me # 1.5) by Tahereh Mafi Review

Name: Destroy Me (Shatter Me # 1.5)

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Harper
Release Date: October 2nd, 2012
Format: Ebook
Buy the book on Amazon
111 pages

Summary:
Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .
Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.
Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

Goodreads

My Review:

With the second book in the series, Unravel Me, not coming out until February, Destroy Me was exactly what I needed to get me even more excited!  Shatter Me is one of my favorite books and reading this short novella from Warner's point of view was wonderful.

Warner seems mean, irrational, and just plain evil in the first book, but with this short section from his point of view I am not so sure anymore.  Abused as a child and living in constant fear of rebellion, Warner secretly tries to do good without anyone noticing.  He really does care for the people in his sector and wants the best for them, even though he knows that The Reestablishment is oppressing everyone.  On top of that, he truly does love Juliette, even though she does not feel the same way about him and she loves Adam.  I actually felt bad for Warner in this novella; he really loves Juliette but he just does not know how to show it.  Throughout Shatter Me he truly thinks that he is helping her develop her power and become more confident, even though he is really destroying her.  During the entire first book I was convinced that Warner was an evil man, but I just don't see him as a villain anymore.  Now, it appears that his father, who is every bit as mean and manipulative as you would think, is the true villain who, as even Warner agrees, must be stopped.

This insight into Warner's mind was truly brilliant.  I have never once felt so bad for and at the same time so confused by the villain in a story.  Anyone who has read Shatter Me will absolutely love this novella about Warner, and if you have not read Shatter Me then I suggest you pick it up as soon as possible; it's a book that you really can't put down until you finish it, and even then you will want to read it again!  I can't wait to read Unravel Me when it comes out in February!

My Rating:

OPAL!!!

Hi everyone! As you all may know, Opal is being released soon!!! Yay!! Jennifer L. Armentrout is having a giveaway in honor of Opal's release..check it out :D

http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/want-to-read-opal/

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Hi everyone! The Catching Books team just wanted to wish you all a happy thanksgiving!! We are so thankful for all of our followers on our blog and for everyone that continues to read thank you so much! We know posts have been slacking lately but we are still trying to figure out how to balance college life and blogging! Thanks again for everything and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Opal Trailer Reveal!!!

Hi everyone! Today I am reveal to you all the Opal trailer!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOO

Opal (The third book in the Lux Series)
Available in both print and digital version on December 18, 2012
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Official Opal Book Trailer 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oLkv3DotkqM

Check out Jennifer L. Armentrout on the following sites:
Facebook
Twitter
Official Website

Waiting on Wednesday 72: Apollyon

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Name: Apollyon (Covenant # 4)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Release Date: April 9th, 2013

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Summary:
Alex is now 18... and nothing will ever be the same again. War is coming, and when the gods are involved, no one is safe.

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Ahhh I love love the cover of Apollyon and I AM SO EXCITED to read it! Right now we don't have much of a blurb but I'm sure we will get more details soon!!

What are you waiting for this week? Let me know in the comments!

Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles # 4) by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl Review

Name: Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles # 4)
Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 23rd, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Buy the book on Amazon
464 pages

Summary:
Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?
Ethan Wate always dreamed of leaving the stifling Southern town of Gatlin.But he never dreamt that finding love with Lena Duchannes would drive him away. Lena is a Caster girl whose supernatural powers unveiled a secretive and cursed side of Gatlin, so powerful it forced him to make a terrible sacrifice.Now Ethan must find a way to return to Lena - and Gatlin - as she vows to do whatever it takes to get him back. Even if it means trusting old enemies or risking their loved ones' lives.Can Ethan and Lena rewrite their fate and their spellbinding love story in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series?

Goodreads

My Review:

What a great ending to a great series!  I started reading the Caster Chronicles what feels like forever ago, when the first book, Beautiful Creatures, came out and I quickly feel in love with it!  These books have a brilliant plot line where there is always tons of supernatural action, but at the same time it contains one of the cutest love stories I have ever read and has a funny Southern, small-town aspect to it as well.  This is one series that if you have not checked out already, you definitely should (especially because it is being made into a movie!).

This book picks up right after the cliffhanger in the last book, and has three separate sections: the first from Ethan's point of view, the second from Lena's, and the third from Ethan's again.  I really loved being able to see into Lena's head during her section, which is something we never really get to experience.  Plus, she has the most amazing poems!  Ethan and Lena both change a lot throughout this series, but Ethan especially changed during this book.  He literally went to the end of the universe and back to try to make it to Lena, which really intensifies their love story.

The plot in this book, though wildly imaginative and certainly interesting, just did not seem entirely believable.  It was quite anticlimactic; after spending almost the entire series trying to evade and eventually kill certain evil Dark casters and keepers, there was really no satisfying final battle at the end.  Although it was nice that this book was not the same as all other YA books with one big, intense scene at the end, the result was just that when the characters finally did run into these Dark casters and keepers, it really just was not as realistic as I was hoping (that is, as realistic as a book dealing with magic can be).  That being said, I still really enjoyed this book and the challenges and hardships that every single character had to face in order to try to bring Ethan back home.

As the final book in the series, I thought that Beautiful Redemption did a great job of exemplifying all the qualities that were truly important in this book.  Not only was there and ending that was, of course, romantically satisfying, but there were also some really true, sad sacrifices that had to be made in order for certain characters to have their happily ever after.  There was a great deal of happiness and heartache at the end of this series, and that was one of the main reasons why I loved it so much!  Everyone who's ever read any of the books in this series should read this excellent end to the series, and if you have not yet read any of the Caster Chronicles, you should definitely check them out!

My Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday 71: The Runaway King

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Name: The Runaway King

Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen

Publisher: Scholastic

Release Date: March 1st, 2013

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Summary:
A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen's blockbuster THE FALSE PRINCE!

Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?

The stunning second installment of The Ascendance Trilogy takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of treason and murder, thrills and peril, as they journey with the Runaway King!

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I LOVED The False Prince, so I can't wait to read the runaway king. I'm excited to see how Jaron is dealing with the kingdom and what will happen next. If you haven't read this series, you should check it out :)

What are you waiting for this week? Let me know in the comments!

Venom (Secrets of the Eternal Rose # 1) by Fiona Paul Review

Name: Venom (Secrets of the Eternal Rose # 1)
Author: Fiona Paul
Publisher: Philomel
Release Date: October 30th, 2012
Format: ARC Copy
Buy the book on Amazon
432 pages

Summary:
Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?
Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.

Goodreads

My Review:

I had high expectations for this book, and while it was not quite as amazing as I had expected it to be, I still enjoyed it very much.  Paul is a terrific writer who crafted every scene perfectly and made me feel not just as if I was reading this book but as if I was actually experiencing it.  I could see every blue sky, every creepy headstone at the cemetery, and every painting that Falco elegantly painted.

Cass lives life in high society with her elderly aunt after the death of her parents, but she never feels fully part of her society.  She often takes long walks in the cemetery by herself at night and finds herself wandering around the city in parts where it is not acceptable for someone of her status to be seen.  Once she meets Falco, however, she begins to realize that leaving her high society manners behind is not quite as easy as she once thought.  When she discovers a murdered girl by her house, she must team up with the mysterious bad boy artist Falco and travel in the middle of the night to questionable places in order to find the killer before he finds her.

Besides Paul's brilliant writing style, one of my other favorite parts of this book was how it encompassed so many different genres.  While much of the book surrounded Cass and Falco's romance, there was also a great deal of mystery, thrill, and some amazing action scenes in the end, as well.  The fact that this book took place in the 1600's in Venice and contained scenes of gondola-rowing also made me enjoy it even more.  There was a somewhat typical love triangle throughout the book, however, where Cass has to choose between the mysterious but poor Falco who quickly steals her heart and the sweet and boring but wealthy Luca, her childhood friend and now fiancé.  The one thing that did make the love triangle better was Cass's choice at the end of the book; she clearly made a decision that was best for herself rather than just one the boys and I can't wait to see the trouble that her choice brings about in the next book.

Overall, I thought that Venom was a great read.  While there were some parts that seemed to be a bit boring with too many descriptions, I was still having trouble putting the book down.  I would definitely recommend this to fans of romance with a little bit of historical fiction and a whole lot of mystery!  I can't wait to read the sequel when it comes out!

My Rating:

Stacking the Shelves and Weekly Update (25)

Hi everyone!! I hope you all are having a great week and Happy Saturday/Sunday!! Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and is a great way for fellow bloggers to share the books that they have received over the week.

 

 

This week has been pretty uneventful..lots of school work and such! I hope you all are having a fabulous week though :)

Anyway's here's what Jaime and I reviewed this week:

Winter White (Belles # 2) by Jen Calonita

Blink Once by Cylin Busby

Here's what we received to review:

 

Crimson Frost by Jennifer Estep (Thanks Kensington and Netgalley!)

Poison by Bridget Zinn (Thanks Disney/Hyperion and Netgalley!)

Well that's all we got this week! What did you get in your mailbox? Let us know in the comments! :)

Waiting on Wednesday 70: The Elite

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Name: The Elite (Selection # 2)

Author: Kiera Cass

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: April 23rd, 2013

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Summary:
The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

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.

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Ever since first I read The Selection last spring, I fell in love with this series! I am SO EXCITED to read The Elite! I am interested to see what happens between America, Maxon, and Aspen! The cover of The Elite is GORGEOUS as well..I love the red color!

What are you waiting for this week? Let me know in the comments!

Winter White (Belles # 2) by Jen Calonita Review

Name: Winter White
Author: Jen Calonita
Publisher: Poppy
 Release Date: October 9th, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Buy the book on Amazon
368 pages
Thanks Poppy for sending me a copy of Winter White for review!

Summary:
Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe are still reeling from the revelation that they share more than just the roof over their heads. The media has pounced on their story and the girls are caught up in a flurry of talk-show appearances and newspaper interviews. They've put on a happy public face, but someone is leaking their true feelings to the press, and while it seems like the world is watching their every move, at least they have each other.
But with cotillion season right around the corner, Izzie and Mira have barely had time to process their newfound sisterhood. Mira has dreamed of making her debut in a gorgeous white gown forever-now, if only she could find an escort. Izzie, meanwhile, is still struggling to find her place in Emerald Cove and it's seeming ever more impossible with EC mean-girls, young and old, doing their best to keep her down. As cotillion preparations heat up, though, there are dance steps to learn, manners to perfect... and secret initiations to complete? As if sophomore year wasn't hard enough!
It's time for the gowns to go on and the gloves to come off.

Goodreads

My Review:
After reading Belles (and really enjoying it!), I knew that I had to read the second book, Winter White! Overall, I really enjoyed Winter White! While it wasn't as good as the first book, I still find this series very enjoyable and I love seeing Mira and Izzie's various adventures that they have together.

It was great to see Izzie and Mira's relationship grow throughout the series. Well they still have various issues to work out, I liked seeing them trying to work on their friendship and becoming better friends. It was also really cute seeing Izzie and deal with their various relationships with different boys.

Now onto the plot..I will say the plot wasn't as shocking as the first book but it was still good! I do wish there were a little bit more twists and turns to make things more exciting. It was really fin to learn about the whole cotillion process, especially since I haven't read about cotillions in a really really long time! It was fun seeing Izzie and Mira go through the whole process of cotillion..and it was cute seeing them go dress shopping! I will say that the ending of Winter White definitely caught me off guard and I didn't see it coming at all.

Overall, I enjoyed Winter White! It was a nice addition to a really cute contemporary series! If you are looking for a fun book to read, definitely check out this series!

My Rating:

Blink Once by Cylin Busby Review

Name: Blink Once
Author: Cylin Busby
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: September 4th, 2012
Format: ARC Copy
Buy the book on Amazon
304 pages

Summary:
West is a high school senior who has everything going for him until an accident leaves him paralyzed. Strapped down in his hospital bed, slipping in and out of consciousness, West is terrified and alone. Until he meets Olivia. She's the girl next door-sort of. A patient in the room next to his, only Olivia can tell what West is thinking, and only Olivia seems to know that the terrible dreams he's been having are not just a result of his medication. Yet as West comes to rely on Olivia-to love her, even-certain questions pull at him: Why has Olivia been in the hospital for so long? And what does it mean that she is at the center of his nightmares? But the biggest question of all comes when West begins to recover and learns that the mysterious girl he's fallen in love with has a secret he could never have seen coming.

Goodreads

My Review:

This hauntingly beautiful story was a great read that had my attention from the start of the book to the end; I was constantly wondering what would happen next!  I spent much of the book trying to figure out the difference between the fiction in West's unconscious state and the reality in his conscious state.  The challenge of determining what was real and what was not was one of my favorite parts of this book, especially because I did not anticipate the twist at the end at all!

Following a biking accident leaves him completely paralyzed, West is stuck in the hospital with no way to
communicate with any of his friends or family members, even though he is aware of everything that is happening around him.  The only person who seems to understand him is Olivia, the patient in the room next to him, who understands that blinking once means yes and blinking twice means no.  The two begin to develop a beautifully realistic romance that has its ups and downs throughout the novel.  They appear to be quite different characters, yet they come together anyway through their similar experiences.  I particularly enjoyed watching how both West and Olivia change throughout the course of the novel, and how they are able to bring out the best in each other.

My favorite part of this book was without a doubt the plot twist at the end.  Even though it left me hating the book at first, I quickly began to admire Busby for creating such an amazingly sad plot twist that I do not think any reader could have seen coming.  I thought this book was a great, quick read and I would definitely recommend it for fans of unpredictable sad and romance books!

My Rating:

Stacking the Shelves and Weekly Update (24)

Hi everyone!! I hope you all are having a great week and Happy Saturday/Sunday!! Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and is a great way for fellow bloggers to share the books that they have received over the week.

Hi everyone! SO sorry for the lack of posts lately/comment replies!! College has been crazy! I promise though I will catch up on posts and commenting..I'm really not trying to ignore you guys so don't think I'm forgetting about you all! I just need to budget my time better lol :)

Posting should resume normally this week (I promise!) and I should get back to my regular commenting speed! So keep reading Catching Books and don't forget to comment! We have some fun things planned soon :)

Also..make sure to enter our follower appreciation giveaway!! It's international!

Anyways..here's what we have received this past month!

Purchased:

Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

Received for Review:

Stolen Nights by Rebecca Maizel (Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin!)

Dancing in the Dark by Robyn Bavati (Thank you Netgalley and Penguin!)

Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler (Thank you Netgalley and SourcebooksFire!)

Well that's all we got this week! What do you think of what we got? What did you get in your mailbox? Comment below and let us know :)

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

Name: The Immortal Rules
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlquin Teen
Release Date: April 24th 2012
Format: Hardcover
485 pages   

Summary: 
In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity."Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for.

My Review:

As soon as founf The Immortal Rules on Goodreads the first thought that came to mind was "Another book about vampires?"

After tons of Young Adult about these creatures, was more than sure that The Immortal Rules would have been another boring and anonymous read, and I've been avoiding it for a long time, but finally the curiosity got the better of me and I decided to start it, and now i'm really happy i read it.

I admit that the first few chapters were pretty boring, and above all very heavy, but, after 50 pages or so the real plot was revealed, and the story began to appassionate me.

Julie Kagawa win me over again with her writing and her ability to create, unique, ingenious and wonderful books.

In a not so distant future, the world as we know changed radically.

The vampires revealed to humans, and now they rule undisturbed all the cities. Plus it has spread a mysterious plague that change humans into horrible and terrifying creatures, halfway between humans and vampires, who are now decimating the population.

In New Covington the situation is more tragic than ever. Humans are divided into Registered, protected by vampires but forced to donate a certain amount of blood every month, and Not registered, who instead are free to do whatever they want but must survive on their own.

Live as a Not Registered is really hard, but Allison Sekemoto learned how to survive a long time ago. 

When a mission to find food in the center of the city conducts her three friends to death, Allie doesn't know what to do. Kanin, a mysterious vampire suddenly apparead, gives her a choice: die or become a vampire like him.

Frightened to die, Allie chooses to live, but life as a vampire is even more difficult than as an Unregistered.

Allison was one of the best heroines i ever read about. She's strong, brave and ready to sacrifice and fight to save who she cares about, determined to preserve her humanity

Kanin wasn't so present in the book except for brief periods in the first chapters, but he's definitely an interesting character that I expect to see more in the next book of the series.

The ending was wonderful. Certainly it wasn't the Happy End I wanted so much, it has nothing of "happy" and leaves many things pending, but it was still great.

My rating is 5 stars!The Immortal Rules is a unique book and definitely a must read, that all lovers of vampires should read!