Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted @ Team Tynga's Reviews.

This is my monthly book haul; so please enjoy the books I have added to my library this past October.
Purchased:

Girl Online by Zoe Sugg
Captive by Aimee Carter
Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder
Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
Outside In by Chrissie Keighery
I am Princess X by Cherie Priest
Nightfall by Patrick Ness
The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Of course I've saved my favourite until last!! ..... *Drumroll* .....





Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone: Illustrated Edition by J.K.Rowling, & Jim Kay

It's so beautiful! I can't wait to re-live the magic of the Harry Potter series and take a closer look at these illustrations!

The Illustrating Process: [Video]






What books did you buy, borrow, or receive this month?

Happy reading,
Alisa

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.
I'm going to start making this a monthly book haul; so please enjoy the books I have added to my library this January. ;)

Purchased:

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll
Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann
Destined by Aprilynne Pike
EleMental by Steven O'Connor
Insurgent by Veronica Roth **COLLECTOR's EDITION
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
The Lost Files: The Legacies by Pittacus Lore
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Leaving Home by Jodi Picoult (Audio CD)

Words can not describe how excited I am about the Collector's edition of Insurgent by Veronica Roth, I have seriously waited to long to buy it!

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Happy reading,
Alisa

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking The Spine.
I haven't been able to stop thinking about this book for the past week. I have been on the cusp of pre-ordering it several times. It's only fitting that it's my first book for "Waiting on" Wednesday!


Title: Sever by Lauren DeStefano
Series: The Chemical Garden [Book Three]
Release Date: February 1st, 2013 (AUS)
Published by: HarperCollins

Want? Add it to your Goodreads!

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered.. - TheChemicalGardenBooks Online

The cover is beautiful! I am just dying to find out who Rhine ends up with, and if there will be a cure in time.

What are you waiting on this week?

Yours truly,
Alisa

Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder

Released: AU January 2013
Series: the Healer Series [Book Two]
Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
Pages: 414
Source: Review
Buy it: Amazon | BookDepository | Booktopia

Read a Chapter Sampler HERE!

Hunted, killed – survived? As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomaniacal King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avery is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick – her partner and sole confidant – returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponent. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet: an army of the walking dead – human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone – unless she figures out how to do the impossible…again. - GoodReads

Book Trailer: [Click Here]

Maria’s writing takes you to places that only exist on the page, but that make you wish they existed in real life. The Fifteen Realms are fascinating, yet can also be frightful at times. It’s the kind of place that might be nice to visit, but you wouldn’t want to live there. All of our favourite characters from Touch of Power are back, yet they are separated as we follow along with their adventures. Whilst book one in the Healer series was told through Avry’s voice, Scent of Magic alternates between her voice and Kerrick’s POV (point of view). We learn a little more about the history and people who inhabit The Fifteen Realms, and are introduced to new magic abilities. These include dead soldiers, magic sniffers, tribes’ people, and more.

Tohon and his army of dead soldiers are on the move. Avry has gone undercover to infiltrate Estrid's army, while Kerrick has headed north to reunite with Prince Ryne and rally his troops. But another war has begun in the Northern realms and Kerrick must help defend his people. Avry is kept busy trying to find a way to slay Tohon’s dead soldiers, and discovers some vital information about the Peace and Death Lilies which could change everything. She longs to be reunited with Kerrick once more, but that solely depends on Kerrick’s success against the warring Tribes.

Rating:
The cover is beautiful, and now matches the new re-release of Touch of Power. Scent of Magic was a great second book for the Healer series. At the conclusion of Touch of Power, Avry and Kerrick have just been reunited; and now they are being torn apart once more. Reading both stories at once can sometimes be a little confusing, but you don’t get that with this book. Avry’s perspective is written in first person, while Kerrick’s story is written in third person. Regardless of whose chapter you are reading, they are always pining over each other. Although it originally took time to develop, their relationship is strong and they are a good couple. Not that there are many to choose from in the series, but I’m definitely Team Kerrick.

Learning more about the different abilities of other magicians was fun. While we already know that Avry is a Healer and Kerrick is a Forest magician, we don't know a lot about the abilities of the lesser magicians in the series. Scent of Magic introduces us to a few new people, and they bring more depth to the story. While some authors get caught up in the detail, it is the smaller details that Maria provides that makes her books interesting. I really want to know the secret behind the Lilies and how Avry is the key. But I guess that will have to wait until the conclusion in book 3, due out late 2013/early 2014!

I seem to have found another favourite genre and author. If you've read any of Maria V. Snyder's other works, I'm sure you'll love Scent of Magic; or If you just love magic and fantasy, then I recommend this book.

Happy reading,
Alisa

p.s.
If you could have a magical power from the Healer series, what would it be?

Seasons Greetings! What ever holiday you are celebrating this December, we wish you a safe and joyful holiday season.

'Tis the time for giving. Did you gift any books to your loved ones, or were you lucky enough to receive any books that were on your wish list?

Warmest Wishes,
Alisa

Kaleb Nation is a youtube and online personality, blogger, and author. He started writing when he was twelve years old, and at age fourteen had his first major idea for a novel. In 2009 he published his first book called Brian Hambric: The Farfield Curse; which was shortly followed in 2010 by Bran Hambric: The Specter Key. These two books form part of the Brian Hambrick series, aimed at readers of a Middle School age group.

Coming in January 2013, Kaleb is releasing a new book called Harken. It will be his first novel for the YA genre, and is a supernatural conspiracy theory novel.

“After surviving an assassination attempt, teenager Michael Asher discovers that he is at the center of a worldwide conspiracy reaching higher than any earthly power. A supernatural organization desperately wants him dead. He doesn't know why. Everyone who might have the answers has already been killed.

Tumbling into a web of international secrets, Michael is forced to fight back and dig up the truth. He begins to question how much of the world is truly as people are led to believe it is. Are there things that humanity is not being told? Who is the puppet master? And how far into the maze can he venture before he is lost forever?” - Goodreads

Book Trailer: [click here]

You can get a free preview of the first 3 chapters of Harken, by clicking the banner below:

As a special promotion, readers who tweet their favourite quotes from the preview can win a giant HARKEN prize pack! Follow Kaleb on twitter at @KalebNation, and follow @harkenseries for more Harken related news. Don't forget to use #HARKEN when you enter, and tell them @thenovelnook sent you ;).

What do you think of the Harken preview? Leave a comment below.

Happy reading,
Alisa

Season’s Greetings! I work in retail, and with one week left until Christmas, I’ve been spending a copious amount of time amongst people buying those elusive last few presents for their loved ones. Having read several good books this year, I thought I’d share a few of my favourites, and possibly recommend some for your bibliophile friends and relatives. Most of these suggestions fall into the ‘Young Adult Fiction’ genre, but are suitable for young and old adults alike :).

For Younger Readers:
The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer
Some of you may recognise the name Chris Colfer. He is one of the main cast on the hit TV series Glee. Since he was a boy, he has loved writing stories, and this book was inspired by a story he started writing while in Middle School. He brings many well-known book characters together in this enchanting story. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, twins Alex and Conner leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.

For the Fantasy Teen:
Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
I love Maria V. Snyder, and Touch of Power is the first book in her latest Healer series. The book has just been re-released this month, and book two of the series comes out in January. It follows the adventures of Avry of Kazan, a healer in the Fifteen Realms. A plague decimated the Territories and healers were accused of spreading the disease. A bounty was put out on all healers, and Avry is the last one left. War has broken out, as competing leaders fight for control of all the Fifteen Realms, and Avry is stuck in the middle. Her choice: will she give her life to heal a prince, who may have started the rumour about the healers and the plague but who may also be able to reunite the realms, or try to continue avoiding bounty hunters for the rest of her life.

The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore
The third book in the Lorien Legacies series, The Rise of Nine is a fantasy/sci-fi book that leaves you hanging for more. To everyone else, they look like ordinary teenagers; but they’re not. They started as a group of nine aliens who left their home planet when it fell under attack. The original plan was for them to travel to Earth, develop their powers, and return to reclaim Lorien. But the Mogodorians found them on Earth, and want to finish what they started. These young teenagers are the only ones who can save Lorien, and now Earth. As those of the original nine that are left continue to find each other, the battle against the Mogodrians also continues.

For the Contemporary Teen:
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
John Green’s books never fail to impress, evoke emotions and inspire those who read them. This book has received some fantastic reviews, and 11 months after its release, is back in the number #1 spot on the Penguin Teen Australia chart. The Fault in our Stars follows Hazel, a 17 year old, terminally ill Cancer patient, as she falls in love and starts to actually feel alive and live her life; regardless of how long she has been sick, and how long she has left. Speaking from experience, this is a tear-jerker of a read. So you may want to include a box of tissues along with this book.


Speechless by Hannah Harrington
Everyone is a perpetrator, victim, or witness to bulling. Speechless makes you realise that all of your actions have consequences, and that sometimes actions do speak louder than words. After attending a party where she witnesses two male classmates in a bedroom together, Chelsea outs them to her friends. By the end of the night, one of the boys is in a critical condition in hospital, two other boys are left facing assault charges, and it’s all thanks to Chelsea. Deciding it is better to not say anything at all, then it is to risk getting anyone else into trouble, Chelsea takes a vow of silence. This only leads her to become further ignored, ridiculed and even attacked by her old friends and other classmates. But there is still hope, as Chelsea makes new friends and learns the real power of silence!

For Every Woman:
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
"The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey what words could not. For Victoria Jones, alone after a childhood in foster care, it is her way of expressing a legacy of grief and guilt. Believing she is damaged beyond hope, she trusts nobody, connecting with the world only through message-laden bouquets. But when a mysterious man at the flower market responds in kind, Victoria is caught between fascination and fear, and must decide if she can open herself to the possibilities of happiness...and forgiveness.
The Language of Flowers is a heartbreaking and redemptive novel about the meaning of flowers, the meaning of family, and the meaning of love." (The Language of Flowers, 2011)

Whatever you decide to buy for your loved ones this December, I hope that you will consider giving the gift of reading.

Happy Holidays,
Alisa

*A quick thank you to HarlequinTeen for my first official ARC.


Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett

Released: AU 28th August 2012
Series: Confessions [Book One]
Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
Pages: 272
Source: Review
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository | Bookworld

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make:

…1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.) - GoodReads

Book Trailer: [click here]

Confessions of an Angry Girl takes you on a bit of a journey. The journey of Rose Zarelli, as she struggles with loosing her dad, starting high school, peer pressure, and having feelings for boys. After her father died while working in Afghanistan, her mother stopped talking to her and her brother moved away to college. As she struggles to deal with this feeling of desertion, her best friend Tracy won't stop talking about joining the cheerleading squad, and wanting to hook-up with her boyfriend. Rose just isn't interested, and becomes increasingly frustrated with the people around her. She tries to do the right thing, but gets shut down at every turn. Why does high school have to be so difficult?

One night while at a party, in which alcohol is present and under age drinking is rampant, Rose discovers one of her classmates unconscious in the bathroom. Concerned for her, Rose calls 911 and as a result, the party is shut down by paramedics and police. Her classmates want to seek revenge. She tries to save Tracy from drowning in alcohol, as the cheerleading squad pours it down her throat as part of her initiation. Tracey can't believe how embarrassing Rose is being, and just wishes she'd relax. But Rose can't relax, because she's falling for the bad boy in school, Jaime Forta; and even though he has girlfriend, Rose has kissed him. Twice! All her pent-up anger comes to a head, when head cheerleader (aka. Jaime Forta's girlfriend) Regina confronts Rose about being a loser, and insults Rose's dead father.

Rating:
Even though I consider myself nothing like Rose, she still felt strangely familiar, and I found myself relating to her. As the title suggests, Rose is an angry girl. She faces a lot of challenges that most teenagers face during high school, doing what is right or trying to be popular. In her debut novel, Louise Rozett's writing brings these scenarios to life and made me feel like I was in high school again, right beside Rose. I felt like the book ended in a peculiar place. Although this could be a segue into the next book in Rozett's Confessions series. The book description had me expecting a little more in the way of language, describing Rose as a "word geek". But I did enjoy the word, definition, and synonym (often referring to Rose herself) at the beginning of each chapter. I was also expecting Rose to be an outwardly "angry girl", but found the majority of her anger built up inside, with little release.

I've been reading a few contemporary books lately, and Confessions of an Angry Girl was definitely on par with them. It's another book that I would recommend to teens going through high school, as a learning experience and as an enjoyable read. Or to anyone who enjoys YA fiction.

Happy reading,
Alisa

This review may contain spoilers if you have not read Storm Glass and Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder. (I suggest you do, they are amazing! Then come back to this review).


Spy Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Released: AU September 2010
Series: Glass [Book Three]
Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
Pages: 424
Source: Gift
Buy it: Book Depository | Amazon

Opal Cowan had been willing to make the ultimate sacrifi ce to save her friends and rid the world of blood magic. Though she survives, she is forever changed…

Opal has lost her powers. More than that, she is now immune to magic. Opal is an outsider looking in, spying through the glass on those with the powers she once had, powers that make a difference to the world and were her whole world…

Until spying through the glass becomes her new power. Suddenly, the beautiful pieces she makes fl ash in the presence of magic. And then she discovers that someone has stolen some of her blood and that fi nding it might let her regain her powers. Or learn if she’s lost them forever… - GoodReads

When we last left Opal Cowan, she had sacrificed her own magic in an attempt to save her friends. Unfortunately for her, but lucky for her friends, she was successful. In a twist however, Opal not only lost her powers, but is now immune to magic. Going from ‘powerful glass magician’ to losing her powers is tough for Opal, and at the start of Spy Glass we find her in her home town of Booruby, moping (although she won’t admit it). But she can’t stop thinking about her magic and about Ulrick, Tricky, and Devlin. She feels that she doesn’t have a purpose, and that if she was somehow able to restore her magic, that it would bring meaning back to her life. So, she travels all around Ixia in search of answers. In the process, she is attacked, attempts to break into a high security prison, gets caught in a mine explosion, and finds herself battling with blood magic. Poor Opal!

We meet some old friends in this final instalment of the Glass Series, and are also introduced to some new ones. Her relationship with her family, friends, and Kade are stretched to the limit. She finds herself drifting apart from people she once held close, and is attracted to people (or more specifically a someone) that she was once repulsed by. Her new immunity to magic turns out to be rather helpful, when she helps rescues a new magician on the verge of flaming out. With or without her magic, this new magician and his sister help Opal discover herself, and help her to discover another purpose.

Rating:
Overall, Maria V. Snyder does another amazing job at keeping you connected with the characters, and on the edge of your seat (or bed, or cushion, or wherever you happen to be while reading). Each cliff-hanger/surprise/mysterious chapter ending had me wanting more, and I finished the last half of the book in 2 evenings (I generally read before bed, so I had a couple of sleepless nights because of this book). Although I don’t ‘like’ the final decision Opal makes, it is explained well enough that I accept it and am happy for her. Opal’s seeking her ‘sense of purpose’ while searching for her magic is relatable, and although set in a fictional setting, gives the book a feeling of reality.

I really enjoyed Spy Glass, and the entire Glass Series. I truly hope that Maria continues writing about Ixia; even if Opal’s journey has ended!

Happy reading,
Alisa