Best I've Read is back! I'm excited to be taking part in this for the third straight year. Through out the entire week I'll be spotlighting some of my favorite reads along with hosting some giveaways. I'm not the only one featuring my favorites, myself along with Page Turners, Once Upon a Twilight, Reading Lark, Books Complete Me, Portrait of a Book, Amethyst Daydreams, A Reader's Ramblings, Cindy Thomas, YA Author, I Am A Read, Not a Writer, are all also taking part in this year's week long feature.
In addition each of our posts, don't miss all of our top favorites which will be featured on Best I've Read's blog along with giveaways! Collectively as a group we came up with our shared favorites which are being featured on the BIR blog each day. So you have numerous chances this week to win some fabulous goodies. You can check out each blog's individual schedule's here. Next week you'll have more chances to win goodies with our annual Mundie Moms Best of series.
Don't miss today's BIR2102 blog favorites: Insurgent by Veronica Roth & Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver.
Today's Feature Favorites are: Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi & Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
Published by: Harper Teen
Released on: January 3rd, 2012
Browse inside the book via Harper Teen
Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.
As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.
They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY -quoted from Goodreads
You know you've read a brilliant book when you get to the end of it and keep flipping between the blank pages and the end and the last page of the story hoping you've missed something or you have that wishful thinking that maybe the publisher forgot to add more of the story in. That's what it was like for me when I finished reading Under The Never Sky. I needed more of this story! Veronica's stunning debut is one of those books that Sophie & I still talk about it. Veronica's characters, her writing, storytelling and world have left an impact on us, and of course being the type of readers were are, we're addicted and want more. If you haven't yet picked up this book, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! It's that good! You can read my full review here.
Thank you to Harper Teen, we have a copy to giveaway via the Best I've Read 2012 Harper Teen prize pack. Be sure to enter to win here:
Published by: Random House
Released on: September 11th, 2012 TODAY
Purchase from: Random House | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The Lynburn Legacy series: Book #1
Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.
But all that changes when the Lynburns return.
The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him? - quoted from Goodreads
This is my favorite Sarah book to date! She's an author I have come to love, because her books are always full of hot kissy scenes, angst, great characters and she of course isn't afraid to let her characters endure moments of pain or broken heartedness. I love that Sarah lets her characters be real. UNSPOKEN is simply a beautifully written book. It's complex, heartbreaking, hopefully, and introduces readers to unforgettable characters. If you've not read about Kami and Jared yet, you need to hurry up and read about them! I LOVE this cover! Not that has anything to do with my love of the book....
You can read my full review here and read my interview with Sarah here. I also had the chance to sit down & visit with Sarah when she was at the Austin Teen Book Festival this past September. Here's a brief re-cap of what we discussed....
Me: What do you admire about Kami?
SRB: Kami believes in love, and she's very focused on truth and justice. She will protect those she loves.
Me: What can you tell us about book 2?
SRB: Truth and lies play a huge part in book 2. There is so much making out.
Me: YES! I mean, I'm looking forward to Jared getting kissed.
SRB: Jared does get kissed. (insert, incase you can't tell SRB is being very coy, and I'm assuming he gets kissed a lot). ;)
Me: What are you working on now?
SRB: I'm in the middle of book 3 in the series, but I have a short story called AFTER that's in Defy The Dark, and features authors Carrie Ryan, Beth Revis, and 13 others (this will be out June '13 from Harper Teen), and a short story called Monsters Reflection, about a boy who's father is a harper. Cassie also has a short story in it as well.
Me: You know I have to ask you about your thoughts on Cassie's characters. What are your thoughts on Sebastian. I'm thinking if he and Nick had to face off, it would be a close match.
SRB: I will step into the role and burn down the world. I would also ship Magnus & Sebastian.
I wish I had an audio recording of this interview, because it was hilarious! Sarah is, as always, a treat to sit down and talk with. Sarcasm, and laughter is always had. Thank you Sarah!
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Loved Under the Never Sky, just like you and I added Unspoken to my tbr list.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading Unspoken! I've been seeing it on some blogs and want to READ it NOW!! Thank you again for the awesome giveaway!!!
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