Waiting On Wednesday: Relic (Gretchen McNeil)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at 

Breaking the Spine

and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Expected publication: March 8th 2016 

Publisher: HarperCollins/EpicReads Impulse

From Gretchen McNeil, the author of Ten and Possess, comes this teen horror novel perfect for young fans of Stephen King, and Lois Duncan's I Know What You Did Last Summer.
For Annie Kramer, the summer before college is bittersweet—both a last hurrah of freedom and the last days she'll spend with her boyfriend, Jack, before they head off to different colleges. So she and her friends plan one final adventure: a houseboating trip on Shasta Lake, complete with booze, romance . . . and an off-limits exploration of the notorious Bull Valley Mine.
The legends of mysterious lights and missing persons on Shasta Lake have been a staple of sleepovers and campouts since Annie was a kid. Full of decrepit bridges that lead to nowhere, railroad tunnels that disappear into the mountains, and terrifying stories of unexplained deaths and bodies that were never recovered, Bull Valley Mine is notorious and frightening—perfect for an epic conclusion to their high school lives.
The trip is fun and light—at first. But when a deranged stranger stumbles upon their campsite, spouting terrifying warnings and pleas for help, it's clear that everyone is in danger. And when their exploration of the mine goes horribly wrong, Annie and her friends quickly discover that the menace of Bull Valley Mine doesn't stay at Shasta Lake—it follows them home.
As one by one her friends fall victim to this mysterious and violent force, Annie must do whatever it takes to discover the ancient secrets of the mine and save her friends . . . if she's not already too late.

What book are you looking forward to?

HarperTeen ARC Review: Bone Gap (Laura Ruby)

Hardcover, 368 pages
Expected publication: March 3rd 2015 Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Author: Laura Ruby

Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high-tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life. That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?
Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.
As we follow the stories of Finn, Roza, and the people of Bone Gap—their melancholy pasts, their terrifying presents, their uncertain futures—acclaimed author Laura Ruby weaves a heartbreaking tale of love and loss, magic and mystery, regret and forgiveness—a story about how the face the world sees is never the sum of who we are. 

Pre-Order Links:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Indigo

Raised in the wilds of suburban New Jersey, Laura Ruby now lives in Chicago with her family. Her short fiction for adults has appeared in various literary magazines, including Other Voices, The Florida Review, Sycamore Review and Nimrod. A collection of these stories, I'M NOT JULIA ROBERTS, was published by Warner Books in January 2007. Called "hilarious and heart-wrenching" by People and "a knowing look at the costs and rewards of remaking a family," by the Hartford-Courant, the book was also featured in Redbook, Working Mother , and USA Today among others.Ruby is also the author of the Edgar-nominated children's mystery LILY'S GHOSTS (8/03), the children's fantasy THE WALL AND THE WING (3/06) and a sequel, THE CHAOS KING (5/07) all from Harpercollins. She writes for older teens as well, and her debut young adult novel, GOOD GIRLS (9/06), also from Harpercollins, was a Book Sense Pick for fall 2006 and an ALA Quick Pick for 2007. A new young adult novel, PLAY ME, is slated for publication in fall of 2008. Her books have sold in England, Australia, Italy, France, Germany, Denmark, Serbia and Montenegro. THE WALL AND THE WING is currently in development with Laika Studios for release as an animated feature.
Ms. Ruby has been a featured speaker at BookExpo, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) annual convention, the Miami Book Festival, the Florida Association of Media Educators (FAME) convention, the Midwest Literary Festival, the International Reading Association's annual convention, and Illinois Reading Council annual conference, among other venues, and she has presented programs and workshops for both adults and children at numerous schools and libraries.Currently, she is working on several thousand projects, drinking way too much coffee, and searching for new tunes for her iPod.

Social Links: 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Tumbler 

"From acclaimed author Laura Ruby comes a fascinating, powerful, and wholly original novel about a beautiful young woman, a haunted young man, and a secretive Midwestern town."

Bone Gap was a very unusual book. It was unlike anything I have ever read before. The writer really uses the words in the book to express emotion and feeling. Bone Gap is one of those books that you just have to read and experience for your self. It is character driven  which makes each story and character feel even more real. Bone Gap is full of magical realism and lyrical writing that makes it a one-of-a-kind read. It is also told in 3rd person and allows you to see the views of several different characters and how their lives are all affected by each other's actions. 

Bone Gap is a mid-western town with country roads, animals, farms, and also "gaps." Gaps are described as a place a person can disappear into and never be heard from again. Bone Gap is a place you want to stay far, far away from. 

"The way they knew that Bone Gap had gaps just wide enough for people to slip away, or slip through, leaving only their stories behind. "

The main characters in the book are the O'Sullivan brothers; Sean & Finn and young girls; Rosa and Petey. Sean has dreams to attend medical school but had to put his dream on hold to obtain guardianship of his younger brother, Finn, after their mother abandons them. 

Roza is a mysterious beautiful girl who came into their lives and just as fast...she disappeared. Sean believes that Roza ran off like everyone else does but Finn doesn't agree. Finn is more cautious and begins an investigation of his own. Several people have mentioned seeing a man who twitches and moves like corn in the breeze right before a person is taken/disappears. 

When reading the reviews of others regarding Bone Gap...I came across a specific quote that just stuck with me. This quote fit the story perfectly and so I wanted to share it within my review as well.....

"Bone Gap is a puzzle where each piece is handed out one at a time, ending in a beautiful picture of family, community, love, friendship, and hope for the future."

Bone Gap is full of spine-tingling suspense, creepy occurrences, and a great mystery. There is also a beautiful love story hidden withing the mystery that is Bone Gap. Bone Gap is a beautifully written YA novel that will bring readers in grab hold....The unexplained strangeness of Bone Gap, the mysterious disappearances, and the breath-taking romance make for a phenomenal story. Laura Ruby has written a engaging novel full of magical realism and romance interwoven into a mystery that will leave the reader utterly stunned......

"He was sorry that Bone Gap seemed to be cursed somehow, big losses salted with tiny tragedies  almost too insulting to bear."

**The quotes from this book have been taken from an Advanced Reading Copy and are subject to change when the final book is printed. Please refer to the final, finished copy for exact quotes!**

**I want to say Thank You to HarperTeen  for the opportunity to review this book!!**

http://www.epicreads.com/

Me, My Shelf and I Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Exquisite Captive (Heather Demetrios)

Click here for Tour Page & Schedule!!

Hardcover, 480 pages
Expected publication: October 7th 2014 by Balzer+Bray
ARC Provided by Publisher in exchange for Honest Review

Nalia is a jinni of tremendous ancient power, the only survivor of a coup that killed nearly everyone she loved. Stuffed into a bottle and sold by a slave trader, she’s now in hiding on the dark caravan, the lucrative jinni slave trade between Arjinna and Earth, where jinn are forced to grant wishes and obey their human masters’ every command. She’d give almost anything to be free of the golden shackles that bind her to Malek, her handsome, cruel master, and his lavish Hollywood lifestyle.
Enter Raif, the enigmatic leader of Arjinna’s revolution and Nalia’s sworn enemy. He promises to free Nalia from her master so that she can return to her ravaged homeland and free her imprisoned brother—all for an unbearably high price. Nalia’s not sure she can trust him, but Raif’s her only hope of escape. With her enemies on the hunt, Earth has become more perilous than ever for Nalia. There’s just one catch: for Raif’s unbinding magic to work, Nalia must gain possession of her bottle…and convince the dangerously persuasive Malek that she truly loves him. Battling a dark past and harboring a terrible secret, Nalia soon realizes her freedom may come at a price too terrible to pay: but how far is she willing to go for it?
Inspired by Arabian Nights, EXQUISITE CAPTIVE brings to life a deliciously seductive world where a wish can be a curse and shadows are sometimes safer than the light. 

Goodreads * Barnes & Noble * Amazon 

When she's not traipsing around the world or spending time in imaginary places, Heather Demetrios lives with her husband in New York City. Originally from Los Angeles, she now calls the East Coast home. Heather is a recipient of the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award for her debut novel, Something Real, which Publisher's Weekly calls “[An] addictive yet thoughtful debut” about reality TV stardom. She is the author of the upcoming EXQUISITE CAPTIVE, a smoldering fantasy about jinn in Los Angeles and what Kirkus called in its starred review "an intoxicating, richly realized realm of magic, politics, spirituality and history" (#1 in the DARK CARAVAN CYCLE). She is also the author of the upcoming I’ll Meet You There (Winter 2015). I’ll Meet You There is a love story about a young combat veteran and a girl trapped in their small town, both struggling to escape the war at home. Heather is the founder of Live Your What, an organization dedicated to fostering passion in people of all ages and creating writing opportunities for youth of limited economic means. She is proud to have an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. You can always find her on Twitter (@HDemetrios), ogling the military dogs she wants to adopt (but can’t because her NYC apartment is way too small). Find out more about Heather and her other books at www.heatherdemetrios.comand www.darkcaravancycle.com

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

Forced to obey her master.

Compelled to help her enemy.

Determined to free herself. 

"What is with these humans? They find out they've got a jinni to do their bidding and they suddenly think it's Aladdin, like I could snap my fingers and shazam!-- instant gratification."

I absolutely love the cover of this book. It is beautiful, majestic, and emotionally compelling. The image of Nalia is exactly how I imagined her. She looks so sad and yet so powerful at the same time. I love the purple and gold colors as well....it just fits the title perfectly. 

This was my first time ever reading a book about a genie (or jinni as it is called in this book). I have always wanted to read one but just never found the right one....well I have found it now! I loved this book from the first page to the last. It had everything from action and suspense to a breath-taking romance. 

The only thing that held me back from giving this a 5 star rating was the different language used in certain parts. It was a little hard to understand because I had to go back to the first of the book to read the definition about the word and then flip back and try to understand it. The language barrier tended to draw my attention away but then as soon as I got back into the story I was unable to put the book down. 

Nalia is a beautiful jinni who was sold into slavery to her new Master, Malek. Malek is a cruel and mean Master who tortures Nalia by holding out on using his third wish and continually placing Nalia into her bottle. Nalia will stop at nothing to escape him and get back to her homeland. Nalia's homeland is called Arjinna and there Nalia is the empress (queen) of her people whom are called Ghan Aisouri. The Ghan Aisouri are the leaders of Arjinna and are of the highest caste and beloved of the gods. 

"I am Ghan Aisouri. Malek might be her master, but he was only human. He could hurt her-yes--the bottle was hell--but she was far too valuable for him to break. He needed Nalia. It was the only currency she had with her master, his insatiable need for wishes and power."

Malek is a cruel master but I still found him fascinating. It was so hard to decide whether I liked him or I hated him. I love when an author writes such emotion into a character that you truly have to choice whether to like them or not. There were moments when Malek was so mean and I wanted Nalia to escape so bad but then he would change and be loving and protective and that did nothing but confuse me SO BAD!!!!! 

I always have such a hard time with love triangles and Exquisite Captive has probably one of the most intense love triangles that I have ever read. Nalia is such an incredible character and I just wanted her to find the perfect man who would finally treat her like she deserved. 

Raif was such an intense, strong character. His introduction immediately let you know that he was extremely important and determined to complete his mission. He and Nalia have undeniable chemistry from the beginning and after Malek's horrific treatment of Nalia I found myself hoping she and Raif would be together. 

Nalia's journey to escape Malek, free herself from her bottle, and return back to her homeland is filled with sadness and yet so much hope. There are so many great characters introduced throughout this book and I loved all of them. There are intense, scary moments and then there are moments that will take your breath away. Exquisite Captive is filled with everything from suspenseful action scenes to raw, beautiful romance scenes. Exquisite Captive is one of my favorite books of 2014 and YA fans are going to run to the book store on its release date......

Heather Demetrios has written a fascinating story filled with jinnis, magic, and romance. Her writing style is beautiful and she knows just how to grab the reader and bring them into the story. Heather Demetrios has blasted her way into the YA spotlight and is definitely an author to follow!!!!

**The quotes from this book have been taken from an Advanced Reading Copy and are subject to change when the final book is printed. Please refer to the final, finished copy for exact quotes!**

**I want to say Thank You to Balzar & Bray/Harper Teen for the opportunity to review this book!!**

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October 2nd:

Ex Libris REVIEW

Bookish REVIEW + DREAM CAST

October 3rd:

Fiktshun REVIEW + THIS OR THAT

Imagine a World REVIEW

October 4th:

Two Chicks On Books GUEST POST

Books a la Mode REVIEW

October 5th:

Fire and Ice REVIEW + MUSIC PLAYLIST

Me, My Shelf and I SPOTLIGHT

October 6th:

Novel Novice REVIEW

Addicted Readers REVIEW

October 7th:

Such A Novel Idea REVIEW + 10 RANDOM THINGS

Katie's Book Blog REVIEW + AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Forever Young Adult – CHRACTHER INTERVIEW

October 8th:

I Heart YA Fiction REVIEW

Wholly Books REVIEW + WHAT'S ON HEATHER'S DESK

October 9th:

Once Upon A Twilight REVIEW

Crossroad Reviews REVIEW

October 10th:

Mundie Moms REVIEW + EXCERPT

Curling Up With A Good Book REVIEW

October 11th:

Swoony Boys Podcast REVIEW + A DAY IN THE LIFE OF HEATHER

Book Lovers Life REVIEW

October 12th:

A Dream Within A Dream REVIEW + TENS LIST

CBY Book Club – EXCERPT

Waiting On Wednesday: Empire of Night (Kelley Armstrong)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at 

Breaking the Spine

and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Hardcover, 432 pages
Expected publication: April 7th 2015 by HarperCollins

Sisters Moria and Ashyn are the Keeper and Seeker of Edgewood. Or at least, they were.
Their village is gone. Their friends have betrayed them. And now, the emperor has sent them on a mission to rescue the children of Edgewood—accompanied by Prince Tyrus and a small band of imperial warriors. But the journey proves more perilous than they could have imagined. With treachery and unrest mounting in the empire, Moria and Ashyn will have to draw on all their influence and power to overcome deadly enemies—not all of them human—and even avert an all-out war. 

My Review of "Sea of Shadows" 

What book are you most looking forward to in 2015??

5 Star Review: Positive (Paige Rawl)

Hardback, 288 pages
Expected publication: August 26th 2014 by HarperCollins
ARC Provided by Publisher for Honest Review

An astonishing memoir for the untold number of children whose lives have been touched by bullying. Positive is a must-read for teens, their parents, educators, and administrators—a brave, visceral work that will save lives and resonate deeply.
Paige Rawl has been HIV positive since birth, but growing up, she never felt like her illness defined her. On an unremarkable day in middle school, she disclosed to a friend her HIV-positive status—and within hours the bullying began. From that moment forward, every day was like walking through a minefield. Paige was never sure when or from where the next text, taunt, or hateful message would come. Then one night, desperate for escape, fifteen-year-old Paige found herself in her bathroom staring at a bottle of sleeping pills.
That could have been the end of her story. Instead, it was only the beginning. Paige's memoir calls for readers to choose action over complacency, compassion over cruelty—and above all, to be Positive. 

Pre-Order Links:

 Amazon * Barnes & Noble 

Paige was born HIV Positive and bullied severely in middle school because of her HIV status. Her classmates called her cruel nicknames, such as PAIDS. Her soccer coach even made a joke about how her HIV status could help the team. And the school administrators let her down by not protecting her. After leaving her middle school, she decided to take a stand and started to speak out sharing her story. At the age of fourteen, Paige was granted special permission to become the youngest person to ever be certified through the American Red Cross as an HIV/AIDS Educator. She even pleaded to congress in her home state of Indiana and helped pass the Anti-bullying Bill #1423 that was affective July 1, 2013.

All through high school Paige was the guest speaker for the I Need You to Listen, Hear, and Understand Me TOUR that was sponsored by Indianapolis Urban League, Indiana AIDS Fund, Indiana State Department of Health, Marion County Public Health Department, Teen Damien, and United Way. This tour travels through Indiana educating youth at schools and churches about HIV/AIDS. In 2013, this tour also added a bullying tour which Paige has had the opportunity to be the guest for as well. Paige has had the opportunity to travel on a national level while working with many organizations, sharing her story to try and reduce the stigma towards HIV/AIDS.
Paige has also been involved with Project Kindle as a part of Speak Out that travels to schools across the country to educate about HIV/AIDS and for the students to hear stories from personal kids impacted by the disease. Project Kindle also has a camp called Camp Kindle that Paige became involved with in 2010 as a camper and is now a counselor at the camp. This camp is for kids and teens who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.

Paige has been treated for her HIV status at Riley Children's Hospital at the Ryan White Infectious Disease Center since her diagnosis. She was named a 2014 Riley Champion. A Riley Champion is someone who is a Riley patient who has inspired communities with their bravery and commitment to help others. They reach beyond their own medical challenges to give meaning to their struggles. Paige also is a Riley Ambassador and travels to different dance marathons, across the state of Indiana, sharing her Riley story. During her freshman year of college, Paige had the opportunity to be apart of the Ball State University Dance Marathon Riley Relations committee.
Paige has been honored numerous times for her involvement in the HIV/AIDS Community. Paige made the list of 5 Female Stigma Warriors Who Will Inspire in 2014 by Stigma Action Network, Top 10 Young Women to Watch in 2014 by the Emma Willard School, and 10 Kids Who Made A Difference in 2013 by Mom.Me. Paige was also selected as one of the 5 Years, 5 Heroes. Five people were selected for their extraordinary contributions to the HIV/AIDS community sponsored by Bristol Myer Squibb. She was given the Excellence Award for her recognition for her contribution in the fight against HIV/AIDS presented by Positive Living, inc. Paige was also selected as one of 5 Seventeen Magazine's Pretty Amazing Finalist in 2013. During her senior year of high school Paige was chosen by her administrators to receive the Outstanding Leadership Award and chosen by her class as Most Likely to Change the World.

Paige has been featured in magazines such as POZ, Seventeen, GLAMOUR UK, Girlfriend (Australia's version of Seventeen), Indianapolis Monthly, and was featured in and on the cover of Scholastic Action magazine. Paige has also been featured in newspapers such as the Indianapolis Star, USA Today, Huffington Post, New York Daily News, Ball State University Daily News, Boston Globe, Indianapolis Recorder, and numerous papers across the country. Paige has also been featured on Nick News with Linda Ellerbee, The Doctors, FOX 59 Female Focus feature, Channel One News World AIDS Day special, and Antibullying PSA sponsored by Kohl's Caring for Kids.

Paige is currently a student at Ball State University, majoring in Molecular Biology. She plans to continue to travel and speak to reduce the stigma towards HIV/AIDS and be an advocate against bullying.

Contact Paige:

Website * Twitter

"Surviving my bullies, 

finding hope, 

and changing the world."

Gripping, Emotional, Phenomenal, Incredible, Life-Changing.....Those are just a few of the words that I felt as I was reading this book. The issues that Paige Rawl had to deal with in her life just totally blew me away. No one should be treated the way that she was treated and no one just have to face the kind of bullying she did. 

Paige Rawl was a young girl who was born with HIV. Her childhood was pretty much normal except for the fact that she had to take a dozen pills (or more) three times a day. Because she took her medication faithfully and followed all of her Dr's advice she had never been sick and been forced to reveal her disease. Paige grew up not thinking that she was any different than any of the other kids her age and didn't really understand why her mother worried so much. 

That is until the day that she trusted her best friend in the whole world and shared her secret. That day she began a journey in life than no one could even imagine. She was forced to learn the truth behind her disease and about her disease. Her life would never be the same. 

Bullying is a real problem within the schools right now and things need to change. This memoir should be in every library in every school in the United States. If more kids read this book then I believe it would touch them the same way it has touched me. It is truly remarkable. 

This book was so fascinating and amazing. Paige had to go through so many trials and tribulations and face so many obstacles at such a young age. I cannot even begin to imagine being in her shoes. She is just an true inspiration to me and this book is remarkable. I could truly go on and on about this book but this is something that you have to experience for yourself. Her fight and will to survive is just breathtaking.

"We all hope for a cure and compassion for those living with this disease.

 We have a unique story.

 Being impacted by HIV does not define who we are."

To learn more about the fight against bullying and HIV please visit Paige Rawl's website. 

http://www.paigerawl.com/home.html

All quotes were taken from an uncorrected proof subject to change in the final edition.

I want to say a huge THANK YOU to Harper Teen for allowing me to read an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Epic Reads Harper Teen

HarperTeen ARC Review: Beware The Wild (Natalie C. Parker)

Hardcover, 336 pages
Expected publication: October 21st 2014 by HarperTeen
ARC Provided in Exchange for Honest Review

It's an oppressively hot and sticky morning in June when Sterling and her brother, Phin, have an argument that compels him to run into the town swamp -- the one that strikes fear in all the residents of Sticks, Louisiana. Phin doesn't return. Instead, a girl named Lenora May climbs out, and now Sterling is the only person in Sticks who remembers her brother ever existed.
Sterling needs to figure out what the swamp's done with her beloved brother and how Lenora May is connected to his disappearance -- and loner boy Heath Durham might be the only one who can help her.

This debut novel is full of atmosphere, twists and turns, and a swoon-worthy romance. 

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon * Barnes & Nobles * Indigo

Natalie C Parker grew up in a Navy family where having adventures was as common as reading fairy tales.
She graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in English, then went on to earn her MA in Women’s Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Continuing her efforts as a lifelong scholar, she currently works on a project studying climate change at the University of Kansas where she eavesdrops on the conversations of brilliant scientists gathering fodder for future novels.
Though still baffled by having ended up in a landlocked state, she lives in Kansas with her partner in a house of monsters.
Natalie is represented by the indomitable Sarah Davies of theGreenhouse Literary Agency.

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"Beware the swampy places, child,

Beware the dark and wild, 

Many a soul has wandered there, 

And many a soul has died."

The very first thing that caught my eye about this book was the cover. I mean what a seriously creepy, INCREDIBLE cover. I loved everything from the dark color scheme to the wickedly drawn letters spelling out "Beware the Wild." 

From the very first chapter of this book I knew  that I was going to love it. The atmosphere of the book is so captivating. The idea of a swamp that that "takes" people and makes everyone in the town forget...um Heck YEAH! I am all about a good mystery and I turned pages so fast because I couldn't wait to solve this one! 

Sterling is a young girl who is the main character in this story. She and her family live in the small town of Sticks, Louisiana. Sterling and her brother, Phin have an argument one morning in June and Phin runs into the town swamp to get away. There are lots of stories about the swamp and many of the townsfolk say it is an evil swamp and warn the children to stay away. After Phin runs away Sterling chases after him but is unable to stop him before he enters the swamp. It is at that moment that a young girl emerges from the swamp and this is when we meet Lenora May. 

“When the swamp took my brother, it sent someone—something else to take his place. I don’t know what Lenora May is, but she’s not my sister.”

Lenora May exits the swamp and enters Sterling's life. She takes over the role of Phin and no one in the town suspects anything. All they remember is Lenora May. It is like Phin has been totally erased. But not for Sterling. Sterling remembers everything including her brother. Sterling then decides she has to discover what happened to Phin and where Lenora May really comes from and how she can get her brother back. 

"I fall asleep with one dreadful thought in my mind: if I want to save my brother, I'll have to follow him inside the swamp."

Along this journey Sterling befriends Heath. Heath is a young boy that Sterling attends school with and Heath is the only one that believes Sterling.  Heath and Sterling face so many obstacles and twists on their journey to discover the mystery and secrets of the swamp. This journey brings them closer and a beautiful romance is built. 

There are so many dark secrets within this mysterious book and I don't want to ruin it for anyone so I will not give away any spoilers. I will just say that this book is perfect for anyone who enjoys YA, romance, mystery, and magic. 

"The most dangerous secrets are the ones we forget..."

All quotes were taken from an uncorrected proof subject to change in the final edition.

I want to say a huge THANK YOU to Harper Teen for allowing me to read an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Epic Reads  Harper Teen

5 Star Review: The Jewel (Amy Ewing)

Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: September 2nd 2014 by HarperTeen
ARC Provided by Publisher for Honest Review

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.
Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.
Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for. 

PRE-ORDER LINKS 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Indigo

Amy Ewing earned her MFA at The New School and her BA at New York University. She is a regular contributor on www.teenwritersbloc.com. She lives in New York City.

email • facebook • twitter • goodreads

"The Power To Choose Comes With A Price..."

This book had me the minute I laid eyes on it. I mean..what a cover! Seriously!! The cover of this book is breath-taking, beautiful, and absolutely mesmerizing. I am a complete pushover for a great cover! 

So of course the cover is amazing..but then I read the synopsis and KNEW I had to read this book.  "The Selection meets The Handmaid's Tale in this darkly riveting YA Debut, where all that glitters may not be gold...." Ummmm...YEAH!!!! and it did not disappoint. I LOVED this book. 

In this dystopian world young girls are tested and if they pass the "genetic test" they are brought into an surrogacy auction and sold to the highest bidder in order to bear children for royalty. Over the years Dr's have perfected the method of surrogacy in order to ensure that the children born are perfect in every way to keep the royal bloodline's pure. 

The Jewel is the center of the Royal's world and where only the richest Royal's live. Surrogates who are brought into The Jewel are treated with riches beyond their imagination. They eat the best foods, have the best clothes, and live rich lives.....as long as they conceive a child for their "master."

Violet is a young girl who has been brought into the world of a surrogate and is sold at the auction to the Duchess Of The Lake, who has been known to be mean and cruel. Violet has no idea what to expect when she enters the House of The Lake. At first she thinks she has walked into heaven. She has closets and closets full of clothes, a huge bedroom, and even a lady-in-waiting that is there to serve only her. But this is only the beginning...Violet soon discovers that the Duchess is evil and vindictive and cares about nothing except her line of succession.

"Why did she hit me?" I ask. My voice breaks and a tear spills down my cheek. 

"This isn't the Marsh, child. I didn't make the rules. But there are rules. You're her property now." Cora's lips press together. "She's not a bad mistress, really. There are worse, I promise you. But you're strong. I can see that. You'll be all right..." 

Violet faces so many disturbing and horrific experiences through out her time at The House Of The Lake. The only thing that keeps her going is Ash...Ash, a handsome young boy, is a "companion" that has been brought into the house to keep the Duchess's niece occupied. Violet falls madly in love with Ash and is determined to find a way for them to be together.

Ash stops at the door. "It would be easier to forget you," he says to me, "and these past few weeks we've had together. It would be easier if I could hate you. But the sad truth is, I will more than likely love you for the rest of my life."

This phenomenal debut YA novel has it all...Suspense, mystery, drama, and a breath-taking romance. I literally could not put this book down. I found myself flipping pages late into the night just to see what happened next. The world of The Jewel is so cruel and yet so fascinating.....I cannot wait for readers to experience all that The Jewel has to offer.....

Amy Ewing has entered the YA genre with a bang....and I for one will DEFINITELY be reading anything that she writes and am DYING to get my hands on the sequel to The Jewel......NOW.....

**The quotes from this book have been taken from an Advanced Reading Copy and are subject to change when the final book is printed. Please refer to the final, finished copy for exact quotes!**