Cover Reveal, Excerpt and First Chapter: Cress by Marissa Meyer

Be honest, who else has been scouring the web, checking out Marissa Meyer's website and refreshing twitter every 5 seconds today?  Okay, maybe it's just me...  Anyway, today is the long awaited cover reveal for Cress (Lunar Chronicles, #3)!  Drumroll please....

Ta da!

 

So what do you think?  I honestly think I am in love!!  This totally blends in the theme of red as well as let's us know there will be a serious twist with the Rapunzel theme!  Her covers just keep getting better and better! I seriously wish we could time-warp to February (seems so far away), but alas, at least this pretty cover will help...EEEeee so excited!

**Also don't forget to check out the excerpt here and you can read the first chapter for FREE below:
 

CRESS (Chapter One) by Marissa Meyer by mackidsbooks

Waiting on Wednesday: Avalon

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Oh, Wednesday did not come quick enough for me this week!  I absolutely positively cannot WAIT for AVALON by Mindee Arnett to debut in… (gasp) January!!!  Wah!  Okay, enough whining!  Anyway, this novel looks stunning and by stunning I mean amazing, life changing and epic!  Okay, okay I know I’m gushing now, but seriously, the cover is dramatic and bold and really, what about this summary does not excite you?

Summary Courtesy of Goodreads:

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

Oooo gives me shivers!  This sounds like the perfect novel that blends together my love for YA and sci-fi!  This is bound to have some diverse characters, an amazing setting, ultimate "evil" to overcome and heart-wrenching plot twists.   

Critics and reviewers everywhere are telling us Firefly fans that this is the book for US!  Sometimes it’s hard for me to read the reviews from those lucky enough to get their hands on ARCs because it makes me want these books all that much more!  Especially when everyone and I mean EVERYONE only has positive reviews.  I AM DEFINITELY WAITING ON THIS ONE THIS WEDNESDAY AND EVERY WEDNESDAY TILL JANUARY!   

Go on, you know you want to...Add this to your TBR pile/Must Buy file/"lust after and read all the teasers until it releases" pile today! We totally agree with Alyssa at The Eater of Books when she says, “I need this book…like, YESTERDAY.” Yes, yes, we at All Booked Up YA could not agree more!

To get more updates follow Mindee on twitter HERE or check out her page with breaking news, updates and AVALON's first blurb HERE.

Happy Wednesday Readers!

Blogger Buddy - Interested?

As a fairly new blogger I cannot tell you how valuable fellow bloggers have been in the creation and growth of my blog.  Honestly, we all start somewhere!  So I wanted to put out feelers to see if some of you "MVP" Bloggers would want to lend an ear and offer advice to some of our "Rookie" Bloggers and help them get off on the right foot! 

Fill in the form below to let me know if you're interested and we'll see where this goes!

Lazy Days of Summer Spontaneous Giveaway Hop!!

This hop features 

Spontaneous Lazy Days of Summer Giveaway!!

Participating blogs are offering a book related giveaway and we are all linked up together so you can easily hop from one giveaway to another.  The hop runs from July 24th - August 4th.

My GIVEAWAY IS...

A *Signed* copy of OF TRITON by Anna Banks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Throwback Thursday (Adult): Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1)

So, it would seem that this week is shaping up to be "All Hail Gail Carriger Week!"  Today, our Throwback gives another nod to Carriger with her adult opener to the Parasol Protectorate series, Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1).  Let me just start by saying that I am consistently enamored with Carriger's strong female leads that are often times slightly off (socially speaking) but utterly brilliant (intellectually) and strong (will and nature).  All in all this is an engaging read that will transport you to a different time (steampunk) and place (Vampire and Werewolf filled London).  

Summary courtesy of Goodreads:

First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire - and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

I am constantly amazed by Gail Carriger's voice that emerges through her brilliant words.  It's a style all her own and so rarely heard that it really is a burst of something fresh!  She writes with such a unique point of view that your imagination and sense of reality is forced to expand and the written reality becomes something nearly tangible...nearly!  The characters are beautifully written, the pace (although slow at times) is composed beautifully and masterfully paints the rhythm of the story and of course, this NOT being a YA novel, there are some HOT scenes.  Of course, these scenes are done in a "classy" sort of way without being crude or lewd but still remain steamy! 

All in all, a fun read for your next camping trip, beach bag or on a rainy day!  We love a good book that doesn't take itself too seriously, has a sense of humor mixed in with an engaging storyline and an impossibly star-crossed love story tossed in for good measure!

Waiting on Wednesday: Curtsies & Conspiracies (Finishing School, #2)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Okay, I know I'm a little late on the Wednesday train, but I couldn't let the sun set without giving a shout out to Gail Carriger's Curtsies & Conspiracies (Finishing School, #2)!  This lovely follow up is expected to hit bookshelves near you November 5th, 2013.  I absolutely adored Etiquette & Espionage and cannot wait to see what awaits Sophronia when class is back in session for this second installment in her Finishing School series!  I seem to be quite taken with this whole steampunk theme as of late and just finished (as in a few hours ago) Soulless (first in her Parasol Protectorate adult series).  There's something magical and quirky about Carriger's writing style that I simply cannot seem to get enough of.  Now waiting is the name of the game, but we will wait in style!  

Summary courtesy of Goodreads:

Does one need four fully grown foxgloves for decorating a dinner table for six guests? Or is it six foxgloves to kill four fully grown guests?

Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy (won't Mumsy be surprised?). Furthermore, Sophronia got mixed up in an intrigue over a stolen device and had a cheese pie thrown at her in a most horrid display of poor manners.

Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers' quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ship's boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a school trip to London than is apparent at first. A conspiracy is afoot--one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans. Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot-and survive the London Season with a full dance card.

In this sequel to bestselling author Gail Carriger's YA debut Etiquette & Espionage, class is back in session with more petticoats and poison, tea trays and treason. Gail's distinctive voice, signature humor, and lush steampunk setting are sure to be the height of fashion this season. 

Throwback Thursday: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)

I’m behind the times a little, just getting around to reading this but let me say, Miss Cassandra Clare does not disappoint with her second installment to the Infernal Devices Trilogy, Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) .  Clare consistently takes hold readers and transports them to a place that is described so perfectly and effortlessly that it feels so real but is so completely out of this world that it will leave you absolutely breathless.  The way Clare weaves the story and characters in such a delicate and intricate way that the reader is hanging on every word wondering what will be uncovered next.  Clockwork Prince will have you on the edge of your seat and is guaranteed to pull at your heartstrings.  She really hits it out of the park again with this delightful read! 

Unlike Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince contains a bit more romance and continues to develop the love triangle even further.  I know, sometimes these love triangles can get tiresome, but honestly, this one is worth the read – far and beyond better than most typical YA romantic triangles *cough* Twilight *cough.*  Clare does do an amazing job really building two male characters that both have a devastating past that haunts them, they both have flaws that plague them, but both are such thoughtful (in their own ways), caring and heartfelt characters that you really want Tessa to end up with both Will and Jem.

The writing style is wonderfully fluid, the plot moves the story forward and provides more background in an engaging and thrilling ride, the characters are beautifully developed and the love story is one for the books.  You will not be disappointed!

Summary Courtesy of Shadowhunters.com:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, but her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Waiting on Wednesday: Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

August 27th cannot come fast enough!  We have been drooling over the second installment of the Throne of Glass series, Crown of Midnight for what seems like FOREVER!  Well okay, since last year's release of Throne of Glass which left us thirsting for more Celaena, Prince Dorian and Captain  Chaol Westfall!  

I mean really, who doesn't dream of being an irresistible and gorgeous assassin surrounded by a handsome and wealthy Prince and a hot and rugged Captain who are both vying for your affection? I mean COME ON!  Let the countdown begin...

Summary courtesy of Goodreads: 

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.
But her heart never wavers. 

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes. 

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.  

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

 **Update, Bloomsbury Kids is currently offering a Crown of Midnight signed cover art print to the first 5,000 people who pre-order and email Hookedonbooks@bloomsbury.com proof of purchase!  I have mine pre-ordered....do you?  More info here.**

Slumber by Tamara Blake

For all of those that have a soft spot for the classic fairy tale retellings, Slumber by Tamara Blake takes on a darker spin on the classics.  Blake's beautifully horrific and intoxicating tale is refreshing in the sea of the all-too-friendly, fluffy fairy tales.  She does an excellent job portraying the mystical side as something more trecherous and really does show that everything comes at a cost.  This is definitely deeper than a light beach read, but certainly one that should not be missed.  Blake's writing style will lure you in and have you guessing until the very end and then hungry for more!  While we don't know if there are plans for a sequel to Slumber, we certainly hope there is!  

Summary courtesy of Goodreads:

Once upon a time, Ruby believed in magic… 

When Ruby volunteers to take her mother's housecleaning shift at the gothic Cottingley Heights mansion, she thinks it's going to be business as usual. Clean out the fridge, scrub toilets, nothing too unusual. But nothing could prepare her for the decadent squalor she finds within. Rich people with more money than sense trashing their beautiful clothes and home just because they can. After the handsome Tam discovers her cleaning up after him and his rich friends, Ruby has never felt more like a character from her sister’s book of fairy tales. 

Tam sees beyond Ruby’s job and ratty clothes, and sweeps her off her feet, treating her like a real princess, but Ruby is sure this beautiful boy is too good to be true. And as one tragedy after another befalls Ruby and her family, Ruby painfully learns that magic is all too real, and it always comes with a price.

Slumber, the ebook, is available July 16th 2013 by Diversion Books.  Grab your copy today and see if a happily ever after is in Ruby's future...

Cover Reveal: SEE ME by Wendy Higgins

Wow, so we instantly fell in love with this cover!  How romantic and whimsical...::swoon::  Are you ready to fall in love?  Fall in love with Wendy Higgin's newest novel, SEE ME that releases October 1st, 2013!  

SEE ME promises to whisk you away and sweep you off your feet with this magical romance complete with betrothals, jealousies and dreamy Irish accents!  This is not to be missed!  Pre-order today!

Summary:

While most seventeen-year-old American girls would refuse to let their parents marry them off to a stranger, Robyn Mason dreams of the mysterious McKale in Ireland, wondering how he’ll look and imagining his cute Irish accent. Prearranged bindings are common for magical families like her own, however when she travels to the whimsical Emerald Isle she discovers there’s more to her betrothal and McKale’s clan than she could have imagined.  

What starts as an obligatory pairing between Robyn and McKale morphs over time into something they both need. But one giant obstacle stands the way of their budding romance: a seductive and deadly Fae princess accustomed to getting what she wants—and what she wants is McKale as her plaything. Love, desire, and jealousies collide as Robyn’s family and McKale’s clan must work together to outsmart the powerful Faeries and preserve the only hope left for their people.

About the Author: 

Wendy Higgins is the author of (a couple books we LOVE) Sweet Evil and Sweet Peril from HarperTeen. She lives in the Washington D.C. area with her husband, daughter, son, and puppy Rue.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Fire Sermon Trilogy

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

That being said, here is what we at All Booked Up YA are waiting on this Wednesday!

The Fire Sermon Trilogy by Francesca Haig (@FrancescaHaig)

Expected publication: TBD

Summary Courtesy of Deadline.com: 

400 years after a nuclear apocalypse, society is left without technology and all humans are twins. One of each pair is physically perfect, and they are called Alphas, while the other, the Omega, bears some mutation. The apartheid society forces the mutated twins to settlements, even though when one twin dies, so does the other. This is the relationship between a brother and sister twin, and what happens when he becomes a leader in the repressed society

DreamWorks has picked up the rights to The Fire Sermon along with six UK publishers nabbing up the book rights of this trilogy.  The US publishing rights are being auctioned off today, July 10th!!  This sounds like one not to be missed! Film is expected 2016...so we'll have to wait a while but hopefully the series will come out way before 2016!  Can't wait!

The Bone Season (Scion #1)

How do I begin?  Let me start by saying that often times some of my favorite reads are the hardest to review and put down on paper (eh, paper/type/computer...you get it).  Samantha Shannon has hit a home-run with her first published work of fiction, The Bone Season (Scion #1).  This is the first in a seven book series that is set to debut Fall of 2013 and if the remaining books follow suit, this will be a knock-out series already with film rights optioned by The Imaginarium Studios, a film company led by Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings; The Hobbit) and Jonathan Cavendish (producer of Bridget Jones’s Diary). Definitely a budding author and series to keep your eye on!

Summary Courtesy of Goodreads:

It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing. 

But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army. 

Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives. 

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine—a young woman learning to harness her powers in a world where everything has been taken from her. It also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

While I do feel that The Bone Season started out a little slower than I typically like, Shannon definitely made up for any lost momentum in the second half.  I could not put this book down.  I absolutely fell in love with stubborn heroine, Paige and her actions and reactions all felt completely organic throughout the entire ride - and what a ride this was!  Action packed!  The novel played out like an on screen production and I can easily see this translating to the big screen.  Shannon's writing style is fast-paced, the content is original and well thought out and her characters are well developed with plenty of depth.  Of course, as the true master of dreamscapes, she has sprinkled in twists and gut wrenching turns and leaves you with an ending that has you wanting more...so much more!  This is one of those reads that you really wish did not have to come to an end.  This is one to put on your wish lists and watch out for!