Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Goals For 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

Bookish goals. Pretty self-explanatory this week. So without further adieu...

10. Read More

Yeah, that pretty much explains itself. Too often I get distracted by all the other media available, or bogged down with other things... Some of it can't be helped, but I do hope to try and prioritize reading a little higher than it's been before. And I hope my new dedicated reading chair will help me in this endeavor.

9. Try Out Some Group Reads

Quite a few of my GoodReads groups have monthly book discussions. Unfortunately, as of yet, I've only participated in reading/discussing one. I'm hoping this year I can clear out my schedule a little and get my eyes reading some of these group reads. I love discussing books, I'm just horrible at working on a time crunch...

8. Complete Series/Trilogies

There are quite a few series out now which I've either neglected entirely, or read the first couple and neglected the finale. This year I plan on finally putting some of these series to rest.

7. Read My Own Books

Amazon is way, WAY too generous sometimes. There are SO many free books for Kindle, and more and more cycle through every day! I've already 'purchased' over 700 in the near-year I've owned my Kindle, and I just keep buying more! One of these days (maybe this year) I need to sit down with my Kindle and just get to reading them.

Plus, I own another few dozen physical books which I haven't touched. I'm hoping the one of my reading challenges will help me finally crack down on these too.

6. Author Requests

I know, I know, I'm a horrible horrible person. I still have four books sent to me for review, a couple I've won from GoodReads, AND another seven I need to review from NetGalley! I hope to get these off my shoulders by March at the latest (preferably done this month, if I can manage it!), and finally clear off my Review Policy hiatus message (which people seem to ignore anyway...)

5. Complete Reading Challenges

Even though reading challenges are more goals, not etched-in-stone promises, it'd still be nice to actually complete one for a change. Last year I took on a ton of challenges around March (some even later) and didn't complete even one. This year, no matter how tempting, I'm restricting myself to the five (six) challenges I've taken on. If I'm making a huge headway, I might allow myself to tackle another one... We'll see.

4. Attend More Author Events

Even if the YA2U tour doesn't hit up Portland, we still get a ton of various authors stopping in. I mean, next week we get Kevin Emerson, Martha Brockenbrough, Sean Beaudoin & Cat Patrick on the same night! Not to mention all those coming to LeakyCon (which, I can't, since they haven't been announced yet).

Problem is, I tend to hold myself to reading their book(s) before attending, and if I don't I totally stress myself out about not having anything to say or sign or getting spoilers...so I don't sleep, get sick, and don't go. I missed out on an entire convention last year because of that. Not this year. I will attend and I will enjoy myself.

3. No Breaks

No, I'm not a self-imposing slave-driver. At least, I try not to be. I'm talking about month-to-three-month-long breaks of absolutely nothing going up on the blog. It's horrible. Stop it. Just read/write something! So even if it's just TTT posts (hey!) I'll at least *try* to have something up every week, if not more. And the next goal should help greatly with that...

2. Prepare

I hope to have quite a few posts pre-written days if not weeks before they're posted. I already schedule posts for 5:30am (8:30am EST) usually for the following day, just so I can hit inboxes first thing in the morning. But I figure if I can get enough content generated beforehand, then I won't have to worry about slow times, like when I go to LeakyCon in June!

1. Stop Procrastinating

I'm a master procrastinator. Did it all through high school. Did it all through college. It's resulted in greatness...and it's resulted in massive stress, failure, breakdowns, and shutdowns. Even though all my Reading Challenges and such are my own goals and don't really mean anything, I'd still like to actually get them done this year.

And that means not leaving all of them until December when I get super busy with family, church stuff, and life in general. If I could have *all* of my challenges completed by November (before Thanksgiving even!), I'd be ecstatic!

But even on a smaller scale, I tend to leave my reading until last-thing. Book's due at the library next week? I'll read it tomorrow...this weekend...the day before it's due. An author's coming next month? I'll get to their book(s) next week...the week before...the night before their event/signing. STOP IT! Just pick up the book now!!! Hopefully I'll have less self-imposed stress and burn-outs, and more happiness, confidence, and blog content.

So, what goals do you have this year?
Are you trying to read more, less, differently?
Got any major plans for your blog?
Let me hear you howl!

Top Ten Tuesday: Book-Inspired Movies

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

Freebie week! And that means I get to branch off of books (slightly) and go into a sister subject, movies. Movies based on, adapted from, or inspired by books (and maybe one graphic novel). Keep in mind that this is my list, and by all means not encompassing every book-based movie out there, nor is it completely unbiased. This isn't a review, it's a list, so forgive me my crushes...

Haven't (Yet) Read the Book

5. Treasure Planet & Muppet Treasure Island
Robert Lewis Stevenson's Treasure Island

Had to go with a tie for this one. Treasure Planet has amazing artwork, music, and some of my favorite characterizations of the side characters, while MTI is just plain fun with our old muppet favorites and Tim Curry. Ah...Tim Curry...

4. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Graphic Novels

While only vaguely resembling Moore's original concept, and deemed by many to be a lazy script with even lazier acting, it happens to be one of my favorites. I'll admit I have a slight crush on Tony Curran's character, the re-imaginged Invisible Man, Rodney Skinner - Gentleman Thief, but regardless I find the whole premise and execution fun and inspiring. And much more lighthearted than the graphic novels.

3. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I don't find the Burton remake as horrible as some, but I still have to go with the original version as my favorite of the two adaptations. The whimsy, the music, the Wonka, it just comes down to a movie I can watch over and over again no matter what my mood.

2. How to Train Your Dragon
Cressida Cowell's How to Train Your Dragon Books

This very well may be one of my favorite movies of all time. The voice-acting, the animation, the story, the dragons - everything about it is amazing. I'm now watching the TV-series on cartoon network, which is pretty good as well. At first I thought it would be the same story, different day type thing, but they're keeping things fresh and expanding more than I expected, which is a very nice surprise. Overall, I hope to see more from this series, and I'm very tempted to pick up the books, even though they're for a much younger audience.

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Trilogy

I don't care how many Tolkien fans say they hate this and that about the series, these are still a great series of movies. I love watching them, then watching the extended editions, then the commentary, then all the behind the scenes extras, then running through the series again. I've actually done a back-to-back extended edition viewing once...and if that's not love, I don't know what is.

Read the Book

5. Dracula
Bram Stoker's Dracula

The Francis Ford Copula version, accept no substitutes. Watched it as part of class in college, have loved it ever since. Romanticized, yes, but still a lovely dark gothic classic. And I don't care who you are, Gary Oldman rocked Dracula.

4. Holes
Louis Sachar's Holes

One of my favorites partly because it sticks so closely to the source - of course, Louis Sachar wrote the screenplay too, so that helped. Still, the tone, the acting, and the great way everything wound together both in the present and the past (without the 3 hours of Cloud Atlas) is storytelling perfection. Add in Henry Winkler, Sigourney Weaver, and Shia LaBeouf and you've got yourself a winner.

3. The Phantom Tollbooth
Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth

A forgotten classic that I wish would resurface, and soon, The Phantom Tollbooth is my favorite Chuck Jones animation. A boy who just can't find anything to do is shown the magic and excitement of words, math, music, and the imagination. What better story to read and show to our kids than that?

2. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia

This was nearly at the top of my list for the sole reason of being more entertaining (to me) than the book. Taking the world of Narnia and presenting it in the majesty and splendor, bringing to life the magic and wonder, and all that creature work. It rivals even Lord of the Rings! The second movie did stray away from the original a little more, and I haven't even seen Dawn Treader yet, so I can't vouch for the series as a whole. Still, a great adaptation of a great book is really hard to come by, so I applaud this team for going to the effort.

1. Harry Potter Films
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series

While I can't say I find the series flawless, and in fact I haven't convinced myself to watch the 8th movie yet, I still have to rank Harry Potter as my favorite adaptation. The continued efforts of cast and crew to bring to life a literary phenomenon, as well as matching the tone and substance to the original material, and doing so for eight movies... How can I not rank them highest on my list?

Honorable Mentions:
Haven't Read
Jurassic Park
Mary Poppins
A Muppet Christmas Carol
V for Vendetta
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy (if comics count)
~
Have Read
The Neverending Story
Ella Enchanted
James and the Giant Peach
Timeline
Stardust
Eragon


So, which book-inspired movies are your faves?
Do you prefer loosely based adaptations or strictly canon versions?
Or would you rather Hollywood leave your treasured tales alone?
Let me hear you howl!

Top Ten Tuesday: Kickass Heroines

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week seems to be a bit repetitive for me. I know I've listed my top ladies before, and a lot of these (okay, nearly all of them) have made past lists. However, ranking them in order of kickassiness is a new feat for me... I don't know that I've succeeded, but here's my best shot at quantifying some of my favorite kickass heroines.

10. Mercy Thompson ~ Mercy Thompson

She has her ups and downs, her strengths and weaknesses, but overall I think she has the head to keep herself out of danger, the heart to know when to ignore her head, and the guts to do what she has to.

9. Rachel ~ Animorphs

Some girls might have a hard time getting their hands dirty, but Rachel has no such qualms. When the safety of her friends or the human race is on the line, she is first to throw herself into the fray.

8. Lily Fielding ~ Vamplayers

A little girly at times, but this girl's got bite when she needs it.

7. Holly Short ~ Artemis Fowl

She may be small in size, but don't let your guard down on that account. Holly has risked life and limb on missions and time after time, so if you're looking for a tough gal on your team, don't overlook the fairy.

6. Lyra Belacqua/Silvertongue ~ His Dark Materials

Lyra may not be the most effective fighter, but that doesn't stop her. She may not know everything, may not be able to see the big picture, but just to go through what she had to and come out on the other side must mean something.

5. Sophie Mercer ~ Hex Hall

Less a fighter and more of a lover, but spunk and snark count a lot in my book, and this part-demon has got that in droves.

4. Fire ~ Seven Kingdoms Chronicles

So much I want to say, and so much I can't express. Hers is a complex tale, but never once did I want to turn away. A brave, noble, loyal, fierce, and kind lady to be sure.

3. Nita & Dairine Callahan ~ Young Wizards

A bit more relatable than some of the others here, these sisters are tied on my list. Imagine existing in our world, but being privy to the secrets of magic and the encroaching entropy enveloping our universe, then facing down that danger at every turn. Exhausting, yes, but these girls have shown time and again that they have what it takes.

2. Hermione Granger ~ Harry Potter

Not the title character, perhaps, but a vital role in the series nonetheless. I don't know how much I need to say about Hermione. What hasn't been said before? Intelligent, loyal, kind, and not too proud to admit when she needs help or was wrong. And she has a mean right hook.

1. Alanna of Trebond ~ The Song of the Lioness (and other Tortall books)

If I had to pick just one of Tamora Pierce's heroines, Alanna had to be it. The first and most memorable of the bunch (partly because of her recurring appearances), she is still my standard for kickass heroines. A fiery red-headed lady knight who doesn't hesitate to risk life and limb for her friends, country and King, and who had to fight tooth and nail to achieve her rank in the first place.

So, which ladies made your kickass list?
Do you prefer brains or brawn in your heroines?
Or is a mix your preference?
Let me hear you howl!

Top Ten Tuesday: Switching Places

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week we bloggers were given a reprieve of sorts. Pick a topic that we hadn't covered before, or wanted a second go at. So, this week I'll be listing characters I'd love to switch places with for 24 hours. Get ready for some unabashed indulgence.

10. Rachel from Animorphs

Kick-ass gal who can change into any animal she's ever touched. So long as I can stay away from the creepy brain slugs that are trying to take over the planet, I think I'll be okay for 24 hours.

9. Lily Fielding from Vamplayers

Just trying out the vampire lifestyle for a day. Provided I'm not being toyed with or hunted by some overpowered super vampire, I think it'd be a fun day.

8. Mercy Thompson from her series

Can't say I know much about cars or fixing stuff, but I wouldn't mind having some of Mercy's perks for a day. Being able to change into a coyote at will, and being friends (and friends with benefits) with fae, vampires and werewolves. Definitely wouldn't be a boring 24 hours.

7. Minerva McGonagall from Harry Potter

I'd willingly trade age for awesomeness on this one. Animagus, extremely learned, fairly powerful witch, and friends with some of the greatest witches & wizards of 'our' time. Yep, not seeing any downsides to this one.

6. Clary Fray from The Mortal Devices

Honestly, I kinda got annoyed with this character, but if I could take her place for a day, I'd get to hang out with some really cool characters including Magnus, Isabelle and Simon. Ah, Simon... *drools*

5. Sophie Mercer from Hex Hall

Another witch. But also super-powered from being part demon. Sure, running from people who want to kill you is a drag, but getting to hang out with an awesome vampire and a couple hawties is never a bad thing.

4. Lyra Belacqua/Silvertongue from His Dark Materials

How cool would it be to have a daemon companion who knew you inside and out? And being able to ask the Golden Compass any question you wanted would be pretty neat, too.

3. Nita Callahan from Young Wizards

How many magic-users do I have to pick before I get my letter to Hogwarts? Well, Nita's world isn't nearly as whimsical as the HP universe, but it does have a lot of perks - including space travel and a little shapeshifting. But all that responsibility and saving-the-world stuff might get a little much, so 24 hours is enough for me to get in, enjoy, and get out.

2. Daine Sarrasri from The Immortals

Shapeshifter. Need I say more? Unfortunately the time period does detract from the appeal just a tad - modern restrooms are a plus - but I think I could stick it out for a day.

1. Tris Chandler from Shatterglass

I've said before how similar I am to Tris, so I think that trading places just to do a little magic, and observe other magic, would be well worth 24 hours.

Honorable Mentions:
Cimorene from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles
Bastion from The Neverending Story
Milo from The Phantom Tollbooth
Eragon from The Inheritance Cycle


So, which characters are on your list?
Or what Top Ten topic did you pick this week?
Let me hear you howl!

Top Ten Tuesday: Unfinished Series

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is highlighting series we've started but haven't finished for one reason or another. Now, I've started a lot of series without finishing them, but for this challenge I'll be focusing on series that fit these two criteria:

1. I've read more than just the first book in the series
2. I'm still planning on finishing the series

I was also going to stipulate that the series has to be complete, but that only gave me 5 to list. So without further adieu, below are my Top Ten series I've yet to complete...

10. Hex Hall Trilogy by Rachel Hawkins

I've read and reviewed both Hex Hall and Demonglass, and have had Spell Bound out from the library for over a month now, and still haven't picked it up to read it! I really have got to get rid of some of these distractions around the house and make reading a priority again.

9. Provost's Dog (Beka Cooper) Trilogy
by Tamora Pierce

Yet another 2 out of 3 read, and from arguably my favorite author no less! I will get Mastiff read if it's the last thing I do! ...Though I really hope it isn't.

8. The Mortal Instruments Series
by Cassandra Claire

I finished the original trilogy and was thrilled to hear it was being extended into a second trilogy. I even squee-ed at the fact Simon was going to be given a more prominant role. And still haven't even picked this one up. For shame.

7. The Sholan Alliance Series by Lisanne Norman

This was a series I picked up when I was probably too young for it. The first book was relatively short, and mostly action/sci-fi. The second...had a lot more politics and 'romance'. I realize I really had no business reading these books had in 7th grade, but really, sentient/psychic humanoid cat creatures — who wouldn't want to read these books? I still plan on picking them back up some time in the future.

6. Ganzfield Novels by Kate Kaynak

Read and loved the first two books, received the third and fourth and...haven't gotten back to them. This really was a case of so many books, so little time. But I will make time...eventually.

5. Bean's Series or The Shadow Saga
by Orson Scott Card

I don't know if this one totally counts as having been started since it's technically a branching series. I read and loved Ender's Game and the books that continued/concluded Ender's story. But he then wrote a second series that branched off of Ender's Game that focused on the character Bean and what happened on Earth. I own all of these, but haven't read past the first chapter in Ender's Shadow. So have I started them or not?

4. Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer

Colfer is quite possibly my favorite male author, and the Artemis Fowl books are my favorites of his (so far). That being said, I was hit rather hard by the events (and deaths) that went down in the 4th book. I've been meaning to catch back up, and perhaps with the release of the final installment I will finally do so.

3. The Lord of the Rings Series by J.R.R. Tolkien

I've read The Hobbit multiple times (how they're going to stretch it into 3 movies is beyond me), Fellowship once with the audiobook, and the first half of Two Towers. Afraid I'm not too interested in poor Sam and Frodo. But since this series is practically the must-read for any fantasy fan, I'm sure I'll get to it eventually. And perhaps even some of the other Middle Earth literature as well.

2. The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne (and Todd) McCafferey

Another must-read fantasy series which I've collected a fair amount of. In fact, I have every book up to the first co-author (Dragon's Kin) with Anne's son, Todd. But I've only read the first 6. I've made myself promise to read them before selling/giving them away, so I will read them. Eventually.

1. Xanth by Piers Anthony

I own 28 of these books and have read only 6 1/4. I read those in 7th and 8th grades and did enjoy them a great deal. When a fantasy series focuses on puns and figures of speech (for example, the phrase 'stop on a dime' obviously came about because dimes possess magical powers that force anyone running/walking over one to freeze in stride), it's hard not to enjoy it.

Dragon on a Pedestal, however, suddenly shifted the focus to a toddler. Yes, even then I knew I wasn't interested in kids. I just couldn't get through it. But I continued collecting the series and have now reached an entire bookshelf +1. Just need to finish all the other shiny books.

Series I'm Proud to Say AREN'T on this List:
Animorphs by K.A. Applegate
(all 63 owned & read)
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Hitchhiker's 6-book-Trilogy by Douglas Adams & Eoin Colfer
Young Wizards Series by Diane Duane
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis



So, which series are on your list?
Did you give up, or simply get sidetracked?
Let me hear you howl!

Top Ten Tuesday: Fall 2012 TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

I'm WAY behind on my normal TBR list, and other than a quick perusal of Amazon's "Coming Soon" listing, I honestly don't know what's releasing this Fall.
Sorry about that.

So rather than telling you what I'm dying to read that has yet to be released this year, here are my Top Ten Books that I SWEAR I WILL READ (and review) this fall.

10. Her Majesty's Will by David Blixt

Before he was famous, he was a fugitive.
Before he wrote of humanity, he lived it.
Before he was the Bard of Avon, he was a spy.

A very poor spy.

England, 1586. Swept up in the skirts of a mysterious stranger, Will Shakespeare becomes entangled in a deadly and hilarious misadventure as he accidentally uncovers the Babington Plot, an attempt to murder Queen Elizabeth herself. Aided by the mercurial wit of Kit Marlowe, Will enters London for the first time, chased by rebels, spies, his own government, his past, and a bear.

Through it all he demonstrates his loyalty and genius, proving himself to be - HER MAJESTY'S WILL.

9. Moonstone by Marilee Brothers

A sickly mom. A tiny house trailer. High school bullies and snarky drama queens. Bad-guy dudes with charming smiles. Allie has problems. And then there's that whole thing about fulfilling a magical prophecy and saving the world from evil. Geez.

Welcome to the sad, funny, sometimes-scary world of fifteen-year-old Allie Emerson, who's struggling to keep her and her mom's act together in the small-town world of Peacock Flats, Washington. An electrical zap from a TV antenna sets off Allie's weird psychic powers. The next thing she knows she's being visited by a hippy-dippy guardian angel, and then her mysterious neighbor, the town "witch," gives her an incredible moonstone pendant that has powers only a good-hearted "Star Seeker" is meant to command.

"Who, me?" is Allie's first reaction. But as sinister events begin to unfold, Allie realizes she's got a destiny to live up to. If she can just survive everyday life, in the meantime.

8.The White Oak by Kim White

Cora Alexander is pulled through a sinkhole and enters the underworld still alive. Her living presence threatens the tyrannical rule of Minos and the Infernal Judges who have hijacked the afterlife and rebuilt it, trapping human souls in a mechanical, computer-controlled city that lies at the core of the earth. To survive, Cora must rely on her untrustworthy guide, Minotaur, an artificial intelligence. She is helped by a mysterious voice, and by Sybil, underworld librarian and author of each person’s book of life. When Cora’s own book is destroyed, Sybil gives her a golden pen and sends her into the City to begin writing her own destiny. Along the way, she reunites with the ghost of her dead brother, Lucas, a genius programmer who alone is capable of finding the chink in Minos armor. This fast-paced adventure begins, and ends, in the middle of the action; introducing the characters, themes, and mysteries that find their resolution later in the series.

7. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. Fiction is based on real black and white photographs. The death of grandfather Abe sends sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and explores abandoned bedrooms and hallways. The children may still live.

6. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

5. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

4. Halflings & Guardian by Heather Burch

After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret—and the wings that come with.

A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys’ powers, as well as her role in a scientist’s dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world.

3. Endlessly by Kiersten White

Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.

So much for normal.

2. Last Rite by Lisa Desrochers

In this final installment of the thrilling, edgy Personal Demons series, the battle between Heaven and Hell has become critical, and Frannie Cavanaugh is right at the center of it.

With the help of the powerful angel Gabe and demon-turned-mortal Luc, Frannie has been able to stay one step ahead of the forces of Hell. But when the demons killed Frannie's best friend and destroyed her brother, they raised the stakes. If Frannie wants to keep her family and friends safe, she knows she has no choice but to go on the run.

Their best defense is the power Frannie has been struggling to master, but her attempts to hone her skill go horribly awry. If Frannie doesn't learn fast, the consequences could be devastating--even apocalyptic.

What happens when you can't outrun Hell...or trust the ones you love?

1. Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

Sorry I couldn't be a bit more on top of things this year, but what do you think?

Which books are you excited for?
Which books are on your list?
Let me hear you howl!