Book Haul (1) 7 books

Technically it's 4 books and 3 ebooks, but I now have 7 books I have to read next.  I heard a lot of reviews on these books and am extremely excited to read these.  Since I am new to reviewing books, my reviews might not be all what you want, but it's a work in progress.   I am hoping I might be able to kind of do an outline kind of review, but I haven't thought much on it. 

Anyway, back to the juicy books, lol!  I will go with the ones that I got with Christmas Barnes and Noble gift card:

Vampire Academy by Rachelle Mead: Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . . 

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever...

I am super excited to start this series.  I have heard some amazing things on this first books, and I have heard some not so amazing things about books that follow, BUT I am going in with an open mind.  I remember always toying with the idea of picking up a copy, but I always put it back before checking out.  I actually picked this up ONLY because Amanda at Pearl the Book Girl and Jessica and Stacy at Chapter Chicks did reviews on them.  When I first spotted this books I was repulsed by the cover.  I wish I could put it in nicer terms, but that's the truth.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater: Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will be left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

I love love love this cover!  Just look at it!  And the wolf peeking out between the branches just gets me!  I wasn't even sure what this was about- I just knew I wanted it because of the art on the cover.  I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, as a good example from above with Vampire Academy, but when a beautiful cover like this draws you in, how can you say no?  After reading the back I knew it was a must have and listened to a couple of reviews.  I also like the new take on werewolves.  Instead of it being on a full moon or by free will, it is when it gets cold, and that is such a unique idea.  I never thought of changing it up like that.  This is one in a trilogy set, and I plan on owning them all!

Iron King by Julie Kagawa: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Oh.  My.  Goodness.  The last faerie series I read was Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside by Holly Black and I loved them.  I wanted more, but her series was over.  When I started hearing reviews about this, I was so geeked, and it only got worse when I seen the cover because OMG look at how amazing it is!  This is one of four.  Well, technically three because the fourth one is from Ash's point of view instead of Meghan's. 

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles: When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.  In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

This is another book that I typically wouldn't have picked up but did because of reviews.  It isn't a detest of the cover, just my hesitance of picking up books with male and female cuddling on the front.  I think sappy love story that has no real plot and storyline, and that turns me off from buying it.  Thankfully I listened and read the reviews and changed my mind.  Even if it is a sappy love story, I heard great things about it.  This is one of a trilogy set, though I don't know if they all go together... 

Need by Carrie Jones:  Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.

This is such a wicked cover, especially because they tie the gold dust into the scene.  However, this is one of the ebooks that I got.  Even though I am all for a bargain, and this was only $2.99 on KoBo, I still want to have this in my library because of the design and well-thought connectedness of the cover and the synopsis.  Still, when I read it, if I find I like it, I will probably spend the extra cash to get it and save my money for the rest of the series in paperback.  This is one of four so far.  I don't know if the fourth one is the last of the series or if she is going to spit out more in the future. 

Bitter Frost by Kailin Gow:  All her life, Breena had always dreamed about fairies as though she lived among them...beautiful fairies living among mortals and living in Feyland.

In her dreams, he was always there the breathtakingly handsome but dangerous Winter Prince, Kian, who is her intended. When Breena turns sixteen, she begins seeing fairies and other creatures mortals don't see. Her best friend Logan suddenly acts very protective.

Then she sees Kian, who seems intent on finding her and carrying her off to Feyland. That's fine and all, but for the fact that humans rarely survive a trip to Feyland, a kiss from a fairy generally means death to the human unless that human has fairy blood in them or is very strong, and although Kian seemed to be her intended, he seems to hate her and wants her dead.

Another ebook but I still love this cover.  I purposefully put it right after Need so you can see the similarities of the covers.  As much as this discourages me, it also makes me want to read it to see if it is similar in more ways that one.  Comparing these two together, I like Need's cover more because it looks balanced better than Bitter Frost's does.  The face and chin doesn't equal to the width of the neck, and that bothers me.  If she doesn't turn out to be a vampire or some fey, then you'll hear me complaining about how deathly pale she is too.  This series is much longer, the longest out of them so far.  It is the first of seven, the seventh book coming out April 9th 2012. 

Love Struck by Melissa Marr:  When Alana gets more or less accidentally entrapped by a selchie she is forced to revise all of her previous rules.

And that is all that was listed on goodreads for this book.  That's it.  I was going to refuse it because of that- I'd love more info please!- but the ebook was only $1.99 and how can I pass that deal up?  I mean, really?  Really!  It helped that the cover pretty, even if it is only an ebook.  But then, after I purchased it, I realized it was Melissa Marr, the same Melissa Marr that does the Wicked Lovely series!  And since I was all interested in them, I figured this would help me see if I am going to like her writing style.  There were a bunch of mixed reviews on goodreads about it- some praising it, others saying her other stuff is better, and then a couple snubbing it off completely.  I am worried that there isn't much info in the synopsis, but it sounds, by the reviews, that is a simple and enchanting love story.


So that is my haul- 4 books and 3 ebooks making a total of 7 books for reading.  I am really looking forward to reading and reviewing these.  I am making myself finish all of these before I make any more purchases.  Once I am done with each book, I will put up a review.  By then I should have some kind of outline that will make it easier.  I don't know if I will redo my review of The Sight, but I will use the new outline for Fell once I have it.  I am also going to put up reviews of Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber and The Pact by Jodi Picoult.    

Thanks for tuning in, see ya!